


"I'm going to tell you a story..."

by sketzocase



Category: Wolverine (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: A lot of the characters are not their proper ages, Babies, Couples are kinda in the background, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Logan centric, Medical Procedures, Mutant Experimentation, Mutant Hate, Sad, Weapon X Project, implied experimentation on children, it's a lot of an Au, my first team ensemble fic since I was a ripe age of sixteen, teacher kitty, violence mentioned that involves a child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-09-21 22:33:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 95,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9569690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketzocase/pseuds/sketzocase
Summary: "... and I need you to listen to the end. There are things you don't know- that you can't understand -but you need to know them. "





	1. In the beginning there was fire

**Author's Note:**

> Another Au.. but I can't say too much about it here. So tell me what you think? It's kinda gonna be a bit of a ... tear jerker? I think that's the right way to put it. Anyway, enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Every story worth telling has three main components. Three simple things to make it smooth and coherent.

To tell a proper story you need a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The story I’m telling starts like this; A man and a woman fell in love.

It’s overplayed. The start to a million other stories begins the exact same way, of course.  
 But this one- this one’s different.

Before falling in love there was an explosion.   (Like there always is when it comes to me.)

Actually, it was more like a string of explosions.  
 The ending of an era.  
 I was getting ready to ride off, leaving the whole mess in ashes behind me, when I met her.   By met her I mean she hopped on the back of my bike, seeming to come out of nowhere, and told me to drive. She ordered me to drive until the tank was empty.

I was about to tell her off.. but then I saw her. Smudged face, windblown hair, a bruise forming on her jaw.. and she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Ever. Period.

Now usually when strangers jump onto or into your vehicle, it’s a bad idea to do what they say… but her? She seemed to be real anxious to get away from something. Something I couldn’t see. Something I didn’t think I wanted to see.  
   
She said drive…and I did.  
 Because when a man sees a beautiful woman- he doesn’t really think straight all of the time.

The beginning of the story actually starts when I reached a rundown little gas station outside of Alberta. She seemed pleased enough at the locale, and finally, let go of her iron grip on my shoulders.  
   
She told me her name and asked what I was doing out there.   I told her mine and asked the same.  
 Neither of us answered.

I offered to buy her a hotel room- not for anything other than sleep. Though if she wanted to thank her daring rescuer, I wouldn't have said ‘no’.   Thinking back, there’s not a man alive who would have told her no.  
   
She accepted my offer provided that I slept in a different room.

I was okay with that. It’d been a tiring week running all over the country. Toppling government agencies.  
   
She wasn’t from here. It was pretty obvious by her looks. But, if that weren’t enough- the accent to her words was a dead give away.   Wherever she was from- I couldn't quite place.  
   
I narrowed the accent down to Japanese or Mandarin. I don’t know how I always get those two confused. To this day I still mix them up.  
   
That’s beside the point. The story progressed to the hotel. I chatted her up a bit, prying for info without pressing my luck. She stayed mysterious and politely distant.  
   
The beginning is always one of my favorite things to think about.   When we were both young and stupid.   When we thought we could take on the world on our own- just by sheer force of will.  
 The end… well, the end is something else entirely.

“Massive internal bleeding.” I snap back to the present. “Abrasions. Nicked lungs. Femoral artery severed…”  
   
My hearing is fuzzy. I’m living in a dream. “What?” Even my voice sounds distant.

“Massive internal bleeding.” The woman in the mask repeats. “Abrasions. Nicked lungs. Femoral artery severed…. by all means, he should be dead by now.”

He should be.   But he ain't.  
 He’s got too much of her in him. Too much to know when to lay down and take the beating.  
 I couldn’t be prouder. Or more terrified.  
 Everything in my life leads up to that one terrifying moment. All the bad shit. All the pain. All the joy. All the tears. Literally all of it.  
 And all I could do was watch.

I was useless.   Despite my will. Despite my courage. Despite my training. I was powerless.  
   
For one of the few times in my life, I faced a problem I could not stab my way out of.   It went beyond that. Not only could I not stab it, I couldn't talk around it. Fuck- I couldn’t even think.  
   
All I could do was call his name. Over and over. Begging- no pleading with him to follow my voice.

“Logan.” The woman snaps her fingers by my face. “How do you want to proceed?”  
   
“What?”  
   
The woman smells like adrenaline. She sounds exhausted. “We can lift him to the another hospital…. our pediatric ward isn't meant for this kind of damage.”

“Lift him where?”   

“A place in Maine.” The woman says. “They’re your best bet…” She pauses. “They’re your only bet.”

“Is he even stable enough to move?” I sound calmer than I feel.

It’s like the night I came home and didn’t find him. The night the babysitter decided she couldn’t do her fucking job anymore.

That moment of not knowing.   That moment of panic.   He’s fighting for his life- again.

And I’m powerless.

“I know you’re in shock.. but you don’t have time to process this.” The woman says. “We need a decision. Wasting time is not a viable option.”

Wasting time.  
   
Time- the one thing in my life I’ve never had to worry about running out of.

Now I’m wasting his time.

“Can I see him?” I ask, not for the first time.

 “No.” The woman answers. “And I’m sorry for that.”

“I can’t ride with him?”  
   
She shakes her head. “Do we lift him or do we keep him here?”

What to do?

Why isn’t she here?   She would have made this call a lot easier than me. She would have been clear headed. She always was when it came to these things. Right up until the last moment. Literally right up until her last breath.  
   
A simple “This is what you have to do.” Always.   As simple as the order to “Drive” when we first met.

She knew when to hold my hand and when to push.  
 I need a push right now.  
 

“Do we lift him or-

  “You don’t need to repeat yourself.” I snap. “I hear you.”  
   
“I couldn’t tell.” The woman doesn’t sound any colder. “You're not responding.”

What to do?  
   
“Is he stable enough to move?”  
   
She shakes her head. “Not really.”

“But if he stays here-“

“If he stays here there’s an 85% chance of him dying. If we move him there’s an 80% chance he’ll die in transit.”

She would know what to do.  
 I don’t.  
 That 5% could be life or death.

And losing both of them??? I don’t think I could bear it.

“Move him.” I hang my head. “Where are you taking him? Give me an address.”

She does.  
   
I reach down and pick up the small bookbag at my feet.

“Black. Like Nate’s.”  
   
I wonder briefly how Nate’s doing. And Rachel. And Laura. And.. fuck. The what- sixteen other kids we picked up?

Summers has his kids in tow. All of that clan firmly tucked away somewhere safe and sound.  
   
He’s not making these decisions tonight.

A small, petty part of me wonders if he would have been able to make this call at all. Or if he’d let Jeanie do it for him.  
   
The bag in my hand is light. Far too light for him to have been carrying anything important. Not like I told him to, at any rate. Why does that make me smile? “Take your book,” I tell him. “Take the book.” And damn if he doesn’t listen. He doesn’t like the new book- he says. He likes books about fish. This book has no fish in it.  
 But fuck. Do you have any idea how hard it is to go into a book shop and look for books about fish?  
 He can’t bring his fish book anymore because it isn't age appropriate. Kitty got tired of reading the marine biology encyclopedia. She ‘suggested’ he find a new favorite book. I got him one about some kind of trouble making cat… I thought he’d like it.  
 But no. He wants his fish book.

The bag has his coloring books from school and ‘Dragon’ the stuffed goldfish.  
   
I had it with me for some reason. I can’t even remember now. I thought if nothing else- He’d want the fish.   He never goes anywhere without it.

It’s part of what told me something was wrong. Dragon was there…. sitting on the bed. And he wasn’t.  
   
I don't know how it happened. I don’t know how this happened right under the nose of some of the most powerful people on the planet. Two of which are skilled telepaths.

“Logan.” Ororo is very close to my face. “Logan.” She repeats.   I kinda do a jump. I didn’t realize I’d been moving.

I’m definitely not in the waiting room anymore.

“Logan, you’ve walked completely past me.” She says gently. “I’m here to take you-“  
   
“I know you are,” I mumble.  
   
She’s still in her uniform. The cape’s ripped all to hell. Her hairs tangled in the back. She came straight here. with me.  
   
She wasn’t in the waiting room because she thought I needed ‘space’.  
   
They're all worried I'm gonna freak out on one of the doctors.  
   
Charles asked if I thought I’d be able to handle it.  
 I told him it didn’t matter if I was or I wasn’t. It had to be done.  
 He didn’t ask any questions after that.

Charles knows a little bit about hard choices, I’m sure. But Chuck can’t hold a candle to this. Even if he tried.

“The car is pulled up front,” Ororo informs. “Jean told me you were ready.”

“I didn’t-“

  “Charles thought it best she came along and supervised… from a distance.”

“Shouldn’t she be with her kids?”  
   
“Scott is watching the children.” Ororo gently reaches out and touches my shoulder. “Are they preparing him to leave?”  
   
I shake my head. “She wouldn’t let me see him.”

Storm nods, removing her hand. “We’ll be there in a few hours if we can make a good time.”  
   
Good time. Like time will ever be good again.  
   
I’m not a religious man. A man sees what I’ve seen and there’s no way he can believe in any kind of benevolent deity. But fuck I’m praying. Like my mom did. For what good it did her.

Praying’s not my thing.

“Peter and Kitty get the other kids out okay?” It seems like a normal situation to talk bout.

 “For the most part.” Ororo starts to lead us towards her car. “Some of the children were too young to know their phone numbers or addresses. One girl couldn’t even tell us her parent's full names.”

“Well fuck.” I fall into step beside her. “Any of them-“

  “No.” She cuts me off. “No one is hurt… like this.” She motions back to the hospital.

“Not even Nate?”

“He took a nasty bump to the head and is telepelting things at the walls on accident.” Ororo smiles to herself. “Jean is going to find her mirrors smashed.”

I can’t help but smile. “Nate’s a bit of hellion.”

Ororo snorts. “You could say that.”

Nate is an idol to the smaller kids. Everyone wants to be him.

“Black bag like Nate’s. Water bottle with Kool- aid not mixed in yet like Nate. Boots to be as tall as Nate.   God forbid I try to tell him that he can’t be as tall as Nate due to the two years in between them.

No. He simply will not hear it.  
   
We arrive at Ro’s car without me paying much attention.  
   
Her sound of annoyance brings me back to the present. “Someone hit me.” She growls, looking at the scratch. “The nerve of some people.”

The paint around the scratch, the black, is tinted with some kind of film. I have no clue what she's been doing to this car.

She gets in and drives us most of the way there before she speaks again.

“There’s a pillow in the back.” She nods as much as she can while keeping her eyes on the road. “In case you want to rest.”  
   
I shake my head. “I don't want to be sleeping if …” I have to stop.  
   
“Logan what’s going to happen is going to happen- whether you’re awake or not.”  
   
I frown. “I want to be awake in case anything happens.”

Ro glances at me quickly. “You’re exhausted.”

“I am.” I agree.

  “You could easily catch an hour or so on the ride over.”  
   
I shake my head. “I can’t close my eyes. I just keep reliving it.”  
   
Today will go down in my memory as by far the worst day of my life.

Even worse than when I got my powers. Even worse than when I lost her. Every her that I’ve ever lost. Even worse than the pain of everything that’s been done to me.  
 I’d take it all in this moment. All of it. If it could replace what I’m feeling right now.

“I need to be awake. I want him to know that I’m not sleeping.”  
   
“Logan- that’s impossible,” Ororo says quietly. “He’s not even in the same space as you. How would he know if you were sleeping or not?”

“I know.” I look down at the bag on my lap. “He doesn’t have his fish.”  
   
“Dragon?”  
   
I nod. “He doesn’t sleep without it.”

“He’s so drugged at the moment hat he won’t have a problem sleeping.” she assures.

Holding him… seeing all that blood. Seeing the bones… hearing him. He didn’t scream- He whimpered. He couldn’t draw enough air to cry. He was completely quiet as blood pooled down his tiny face. Mouth barely moving.   It haunts me.  
   
I don’t know what he as saying. I couldn’t hear him.

Those lips… they just kept moving.  
 What he could have been trying to tell me… I have a few guesses.

The worst being him telling me how much it hurts. The best being him telling me that he had done the right thing. Like a superhero.

His little hands could barely move, but he kept trying to grab my mask. I took it off for him.I don’t care if some government lackey knows who I am. He wanted to see me. He had to see my eyes. He had to know he was safe.  
   
God I hope he felt safe.  
   
I didn’t want to let him go.  
   
Hank literally pried him out of my arms and put him in the medical transport. I didn’t want to let him go.   Here he was gasping like a fish outta water… and I couldn’t let him go.  
   
He was so tiny. The oxygen mask wasn’t intended for children.

But he was still. He listened to the orders they gave him. He was crying. In pain. Scared outta his mind. And I could do nothing.   They had to make me move. Hank asked if I wanted to go with him- which I did of course.   When they let me in, I couldn’t touch him. I wanted to get the hair from his face, but they wouldn’t let me. I wanted to hold his hand- but they wouldn’t let me.   I had to sit there and watch them working on him.  
   
I wanted him to have gained my powers. I wanted it so badly.

But that’s not his powerset.   He got a curveball. Pheromones. He can affect how you’re feeling.  
   
Comes in handy when he wants an extra cookie or a later bedtime. It didn’t help him tonight.  
   
It slowed them down- sure. But it didn’t stop them. God he tried, though.  
   
The little fighter. He tried.

If this goes any worse, that’s what I want to remember. IF I could block the rest out- I want to remember his effort. Shaking knees and all.

“We’re almost there,” Ororo says into the silence. “Sleep or not.” She reaches over and takes my hand. She doesn’t say anything else. She doesn’t have the words and has the grace to admit that.  
   
So this is the present. Not the beginning. And hopefully not the end. I find it’s a little helpful to sometimes navigate between the past and present with some simple narration. I spent so much time not having a past. So much time in the dark.

So not the past and hopefully there will be a future.

I want to say ‘things can only go up from here’ but that’s not how things work for me. That’s not how things work and I don’t wanna tempt fate.  
 So I leave it here.


	2. When you get to the intermission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! It said in the tags that some of the ages had been messed with. Just thought I'd put a friendly reminder so it's not too confusing. Hope y'all enjoy!

In a story, there are breaks between scenes of action. Downtime. Too often these moments are looked over. Counted as ‘boring’.  
  
A good story tells all sides.  
  
Boring included.

This morning is boring. I hate to admit it- but it is.

When it’s not boring, it’s almost painfully frustrating.

I may or may not have clawed up the vending machines on the third floor. Really that just depends on what camera you ask.  
And I’d like to see the fucker who tried to prove it.

I need something to vent my frustrations on and lord knows it won’t be people. Chuck’s been sure to send ‘babysitters’. I think for a while, this just added to the frustration.  
  
Today’s been so stop ad go.  
  
I made it to the hospital- they wouldn’t let me see him. I demanded to talk to his doctor- they said he wasn’t available. I demanded to see him- they said he was in surgery. I demanded to know what was going on- they told me I’d have to wait for information like everyone else.

It took me two hours to find out what floor he was on.  
It took another hour to get a doctor to talk to me.  
  
In that time, I decided to camp out in the waiting room. Parents came and went. Kids trashed the waiting room three times over.  
  
Eventually, I was joined by Remy- a shift change. I’m sure sent to make sure I don’t do anything stupid. That or… well.. he was fond of him. No, I can’t think like that. He IS fond of him. Remy was ‘cool’. Not as cool as me- but cool. Remy was one of the first in line back at the lab. Waist deep in guards and violence.

Remy is a thief. He doesn’t hide this. In fact, he’s more than happy to demonstrate his skills on any poor soul who happens to piss him off. On that subject, Remy is the main purpose Summers has been through so many phones. Everyone thinks our glorious leader is just scatter brained. And that may be- ya know because he’s his normal self. But really, it’s Remy.

Remy rode here as we were coming. He was here waiting the whole time I was ‘bothering’ the staff.

By all intents and purposes, you’d think he’d be cool under pressure. A mission- fine. He’s good with that. Facing down a heist (which he swears he doesn’t do anymore) - fine he’s good with that.

Staying in one place for an extended period of time? Nah. Apparently, that’s where he draws the line.  
I have no fucking clue why the man refuses to sit still at the moment. He’s fidgeting like a five-year-old. I feel like we oughta glue his feet to the god damn floor.

I’m tempted to call Rogue and get her to come relieve him of his ‘duty’.  
  
She may want to talk, though. I don’t know which I would find more annoying at this point. I don’t want to talk. I want to plan. I want to scheme. I want to find a way to make the people that did this pay in the most excruciating was possible.

“Heh.” Remy’s staring up at the Tv screen in the waiting room. Cartoons- bright, loud, colorful- are playing on repeat. All day all night- it’s the same fifteen cartoons.

The waiting room is large. Open. It’s a little imposing- if we’re being honest. If someone were to attack, there wouldn’t be a lot of cover to take. Shows where my mind is this morning.  
  
Chairs line all three sides of the wall, making a large square in front of the nurse’s station. Beside the nurse’s station is a door that has to be unlocked from the desk or the other side. That’s where the kids are. Visitors can come to certain parts of the hospital at certain times. Fuck ass early on a Sunday doesn’t meet those times. Not only am I not within visiting hours- he isn’t in a room for me to visit.

Last I heard from them was eleven last night. He was in surgery. The doctor couldn’t tell me much after that. All he said was that his oxygen levels had stayed consistent. Whatever the fuck that means.

Ororo had to go do something for Chuck that involved the other children- so she left. I thought I’d get some time to myself but then lo and behold the cajun came strutting into the hospital like he owned it.

I asked her to go look after Laura- make sure she was okay.

Of course she agreed. Laura was a lot less upset than the other kids. She’s a lot more… practical? Nah. Fucked up. She’s already seen what humans can do. She’s already been under their scalpels. I got her when she was four. He was a baby. We tried to make it seem like an adoption. It was her ‘momma’s’ last request. That she be placed somewhere safe. She tracked me all the way across the ocean.  
  
The paperwork is more of an S.H.I.E.L.D. cover up thing. A way to make it seem like they’re not harboring a functioning, fully operational, clone.  
  
The thought makes my skin crawl. I feel keenly violated. And Laura? Well, she’s so much like me it’s eerie. At the same time, she’s learning how to be her own self.  
Playing with other kids took a while to get used to. She didn’t know how to relate to them.

She loves her little ‘brother’ though.

If they lured her out- like I’m guessing they would have had to- they used him to do it.

He wouldn’t have known any better. There’re so many people coming in and out of the mansion at all times, he would have thought they were a friend.  
  
Especially if they had his other friends. The other kids.  
  
The thing that gets me is that they took OUR kids. The x-men’s. None of the other student’s at the school went missing.

Scott nearly took off ‘Ro’s head when she insisted we check through the rest of the student’s before chasing down the people who took them.

It took us a week to find them.

Summers was unbearable.

He blames himself. We all blame ourselves.

None of us understand how this happened. Or why we were targeted. Or even who the perpetrators knew us well enough to know which ones were ours.  
I was all over that school the entire time before it happened. Nothing smelled off. Nothing sounded off.

I didn’t notice us being under surveillance. And I’m really paranoid about that shit.

Scott and I turned the rooms upside down looking for bugs.  
There weren’t any to be found.

The only thing that was remotely interesting was that Dragon, his toy, was on my bed and that Rachel’s window was open.  
  
Rachel has a climbing issue. She get’s out. Jean has a lock on the window so she doesn’t fall out. (Which ‘Ro was lucky enough to catch one time.)  
  
Rachel is on the third floor, down the hall from Jean and Scott. Nate is little closer, a few doors down.

Laura is on the second floor with him- they share a room. I’m also right down the hall.

With my hearing, if either of them starts to fuss or tries to escape (which Laura did when we came here… a lot.) I can stop them.

Someone got inside. Under our noses.

Chuck thinks they were able to talk to the children beforehand. That the kids went with them because they were comfortable.  
  
It must have been a hell of a comfortability for Laura to trust them. She has an instant distrust for everyone.

Remy and Rogue were in the garden.

Kitty and Pete were in the main lounge, him painting and her watching him- like they like to do for some reason.  
  
Scott and Jean were in the danger room. I was.. fuck. I don’t know. Everywhere.  
  
Remy taps his foot on the floor for the millionth time. “Remy,” I growl, finally having had enough. “If you don’t stop fidgeting I’m going to nail your feet to the floor.”

The only other occupants of the waiting room are a boy and his mom. The boy looking tired, but excited to be up this late- I’m sure. The mom just looks grief stricken and tired.

I guess I look the same.

She would handle this better. She would have known what to bring.  
  
I knew he was going to the hospital. I was with him on the ride over. I didn’t tell anyone to grab his clothes. All he had were his shorts- the black ones. (like skateboarders- he’d been watching some of the students) They’re not warm enough for the weather. He never went outside. I never dressed him (When he would let me) for outside because he was too scared to go.

Even with me holding his hand.

He had a tantrum so loud that even I couldn’t punish him. He was truly terrified.  
  
I can’t get him out to go to the movies, the park, the arcade. And god forbid we try to do something with water. He’s been taking baths in the sink for the last year and a half. Unless I get in the tub with him. And honestly, he’s too big for that.

Not as in age- but both of us won’t fit anymore. I could put him in the shower with me, but the running water scares him.

Not killing the bastard’s in Japan, haunts me.

“Don’t be so violent.” Remy picks up a stuffed bear from the table beside him. “Don’t be grumpy.” The bear moves like it was talking. “Look at the bear.” he twists it from side to side. “See? Calming.”  
  
“Remy, I swear to god-“

“Ease up.” he chuckles. “Really.”  
  
There are toys spread out through the chairs- like the bear Remy’s holding.  
  
It’s a brown tattered looking thing. I’m wondering if the staff left it here or if a child did.

It’s hard to tell what’s intentional in this room and what’s child driven.

The only thing that I’m absolutely sure is supposed to be here is the wall-art. Paintings of baby animals line the walls.  
No fish, though. He’d want there to be fish.

He loves the aquarium on the first floor.  
Kitty lets him help feed the fish. It’s his favorite thing to do.

Honestly, the fish obsession probably came from when we were living in Japan. He liked Koi ponds. He loved the big fish. He called them dragon fish, because of their scales and size. We would go feed the fish at a local garden when I wasn’t working.  
  
Remy looks back up at the Tv, grinning.

“I didn’t know they could do that.”  
  
I spare him a glance. “Do what?” I’ll bite.

He points to the overhead screen. “Sesame Street just did a Game of Thrones spoof.”

I glance up and watch as the characters play ‘A game of chairs’. It’s a little funny.  
  
“I can’t believe you watch that,” I grumble.

“All the naked women- how could I not?” He grins.

“If Rogue heard you-“

“And it’s best she don’t.” He smiles again. “Oui?”

The Cajun is trying to help in his own right. But damn I wish they’d sent someone else.

He fiddles with his staff, now collapsed into a hand sized baton. I think he’s making the other parents nervous.  
  
Not that there’s many around at the moment. It’s two in the morning, after all.

Remy, like me, is still dressed from the mission. We make a weird looking pair. We’ve gotten a lot of.. attention from people. Not all of it was good.

“Do you think they ever spoof us?”

I stare at him for a long second. “What do you mean?” I’ll bite again.

“The X-men. The Avengers. X-factor. Do you think they ever spoof us?”

I give it some thought. I bet he’d like that. Seeing his cartoon characters dressed up like all of his friends.

“I don’t know.” I lean back into the chair, closing my eyes for a just a second.

When I open them the Cajun’s gone. I don’t have time or energy to be keeping up with Remy’s bullshit today. I look around and fail to see him.

“Your friend with the funny eyes went to get a snack.” A little red headed boy across the row of chairs says.  
  
“Adam.” His tired mother reprimands.

“What? He had funny eyes.” the boy says innocently. He turns back to me. “Are you a superhero?”

He motions to my costume.  
Eventually, I’ll have to change- I know. But I can’t bring myself to function on that level yet.

As far as being a hero… well, I don’t know what I am at the moment.  
With all the rage and hatred I’m holding- I don’t feel very ‘super’.

“Why are you in a kid hospital? Are you on a mission?”  
  
“Adam.” His mother warns.

“That wasn’t mean!” he defends. He looks to be about eight. Maybe nine. “Your friend was playing with cards. Is he a magician?”

A lot of questions for a stranger. He’s afraid of strangers. For good reason. I’m constantly trying to talk him through his fears. He has a good reason, of course- like I said. What happened back in Japan was truly horrifying. But he’s so… easily frightened now.

Ironically one of the things he doesn’t like is doctors. I hope he’s not awake right now. He was swarmed by them.

The door to the waiting room opens up as Remy walks back in and sits down in the chair.

Adam examines him for a moment. “You have funny eyes,” he informs.

“Yup.” Remy opens his bag of chips, seemingly unbothered.  
  
“My brother has funny eyes too.” he continues. “He’s going blind. The doctors think they can stop it.” he pauses. “Are you going blind?”

Remy shakes his head. “Nope. My eyes are just fine.”

“But they’re black and red.” the boy presses. “Do you see in just black and red?”

“No, I see in color. Like you.” Remy doesn’t seem annoyed in the slightest.

“Would you know if you were going blind?”

“Adam, that’s enough.” His mom finally turns her full attention to us. “I’m sorry.” She’s a skinny, young mother. “He won’t go to sleep.” she informs. “And he got into the coffee down the hall-“  
  
“‘sokay.” Remy offers her a smile. “Kid’s curious.”

It’s the one that usually makes women weak.

“I saw what happened yesterday on the news.” The woman looks down. “How you saved all those children…”

“Yea? “

She nods. “Just… thank you. For looking out for those parents. If that was one of my kids… I don’t know how wrecked I’d be.”

Remy glances over at me. “Yea. It’s tough.”

“Do you have kids?” The woman asks.

“Nah. My girlfriend has this thing about touching.” He smiles. It’s a little joke to him. Honestly, I don’t know how he and Rogue manage. Ro and I have a hard time keeping our hands to ourselves.

He goes back to shuffling his cards.

“How do you do that?” Adam asks after a few minutes.

“Adam…” his mother groans.

“That wasn’t mean!” The boy insists.

“Practice,” Remy says with a smile. “Practice and timing.” He splits his deck and offers a small portion to the kid, leaning forward to do so. “Wanna try?” The boy looks at his mother before standing up and walking the short distance to where Remy and I are sitting.  
Adam smiles ear to ear and starts trying to shuffle the cards. It’s a mess. He does about as good as a kid could be expected.

A doctor in green surgical scrubs comes into the waiting room. I hold my breath trying to figure out if they’re here for us or Adam’s mom.

The man looks around the room, notes me and Remy, and walks in our direction.

“Logan.” The man nods.

He’s a man with gray hair and a five o’clock shadow. He looks exhausted. He pulls off his purple latex gloves and tosses them in the trashcan beside the entrance to the waiting room.  
  
“How’s he doing?” I want to skip the pleasantries.  
  
“I told you we had to do the original surgery.” The man informs. “We were putting him back in ICU when his heart stopped. We revived him but he’s had to go back under the knife.”  
  
“His heart stopped?”

“Yes.” The man nods. “But we got it restarted. The internal damage was more than we expected.”

“Can I see him?” I shouldn't have to ask this as often as I do.

“No.” I’m told once again. “He’s in post-op.”

“I really need to see him.” I try again.

“We can’t let you do that.” The doctor crosses his arms.

“Do you know when I’ll be able to?” I ask impatiently.

“If we can get him through tonight, you can see him in the morning.”  
  
“If you can get him through tonight??? What the fuck does that mean?”

The man is calm, even as my anger rises. “It means exactly what it sounds like,” he says. “We’re working as hard as we can.”

“If you’d just let me see him-“

“Logan.” Remy puts his hand on my shoulders. “It’s 2 AM now. We can wait a few hours, oui? It won’t hurt-“

“My child is dying,” I growl. “I will go see him.” I turn back to the doctor. “You will let me see him, or I will take down this door and find him myself. I have waited an entire day to see him. And if his heart is stopping- I need to be there.”  
  
The doctor stares me down. “Alright,” he says finally. “Briefly, though. And you can’t touch him.”  
  
I nod, willing to take whatever they can possibly give me.

The doctor leads the way with a stiff posture. I can only imagine what being a children’s surgeon is like. Really. The job must be taxing.  
  
There’s a row of rooms through the locked doors. Not really rooms, more like compartments. Glass walls enclosing small, cramped spaces. Every room we pass has a tiny bed in it. It’s occupant hooked up to wires and tubes. The sounds of about ten heart beat monitors going off at different times. Different heart beats. Some are fast. Some are painfully slow.

I don’t want him to be here. To be honest, I don’t want any of them to be here.

We stop at the last compartment before the nurse’s desk.  
  
The doctor pulls the curtain that acts as a door and... it’s my worst nightmare.

He’s got as many tubes as he possibly can running through him. His arm’s host to about three different IVs, his chest is visible, red, angry stitches going down it. My heart is my throat.

“We’ve performed a total of three operations here.” The doctor says lowly. “He had two at the other hospital.” The man pats my shoulder. “We…. don’t know how he’s alive. It’s truly a miracle.”

“Yea?”

I’m not surprised. He’s like me. He’s like her. I feel like he’s got some of her spunk about him right now, even at this low point.  
Her last order was to protect him… when the poison set in. To take him and run.  
Taking him was something I will never forget.  
The whole process wakes me up at night, sweating.

“He’s a fighter.” His heart beat monitor is one of the slow ones.

I start to enter the room, but the doctor stops me. “Doctors only.” He says.  
I understand that the room is small… but-

“I can’t go in for a second?”

“You’re not even supposed to be back here.” The doctor shakes his head.

I rest my hand on the glass wall that makes up the compartment. It’s cool to the touch.

I watch him for a very long minute. It feels like it stretches forever. The glass under my hand feels cooler than before.  
“Is he cold?”

“Hmm?” The doctor looks into the room.

“The room- it’s cold.” I have to make this sound rational. “He doesn’t like being cold.”

The man frowns before nodding, entering the room and pulling the thin blankets up his chest, hiding the ugly red mark.  
the doctor rearranges the oxygen mask on his face and pushes the hair back from his eyes. “It’s all good little buddy,” he says almost sweetly. “Your daddy’s here. He came to say ‘hi’. He can’t stay for long.”  
  
There’s no response.

“We’ll get you moved into a room in the morning.” he continues. “If you keep up the good work.”  
  
Good work.

“So try really hard.” The man squeezes his hand. “Okay? Try really, really hard.”

I have no doubt he is.

“Okay. We’re gonna go now.” The doctor messes with the blanket one last time.

I want to stay. I want to knock the doctor out just so I can stand here a look at him. As if that’s going to change anything. As if I could will this away on my own.

“Logan.” The doctor motions with his hand. “Follow me.”

I stay glued to my spot.

“Follow me.” he repeats. “You can’t be back here.”

“I didn’t even get to talk to him,” I growl.

“You got as close as you’re going to get.”

I frown, looking over him. “Has he been awake at all?”

“Hmmm… no, not really.” We’re moving against my will. “He’s been semi-conscious a few times…. we tried to get him to tell us his name- to see if he could talk and work around the concussion-“

“Concussion?”

“I thought the other hospital would have mentioned it.”

His head, his heart, his lungs… his broken bones.

I find myself back in the waiting room, not remembering walking out. “We’ve got coffee down the hall.” The doctor pats my shoulder. “In case you want some.” He turns and nods to the nurse, who in turn opens the doors so he can go back to his patients.

Remy’s moved to the center of the floor with Adam and appears to be teaching him how to play poker.

He’s laying on his stomach, cards held in front of his face and legs kicking behind him. He looks like a giant child.

“Petite called.” He says to me. “Wants to know if you want anything to eat.”

“Not hungry.”

“I told her you would say that. She said something about biscuits.”

“Biscuits?”

“Like you can find a decent one this far up north. “ he snorts.

“I got all reds.” Adam lays his cards down in front of him, stealing Remy’s attention away.

“I got all royals.” Remy lays his cards down.

“Who wins?” Adam laughs.

“Mmm. Let’s call it a draw.” Remy raises to his knees. “Hows the baby?” He collects his cards and starts to shuffle them into a proper deck.

The baby is not a baby.

He’s a whopping four years old. Almost five. He points that out as often as possible.

“Fucked.” I sit in the chair I’ve been in all day.

“Homme.. for what it’s worth-“

“Don’t. Remy really. Don’t.”

“You couldn’t have stopped it.” He continues. “Logan- really. There’s nothin’ you could have done any different. It’s just not possible.”

That’s not true. I could have been more attentive.  
I could have kept him more secure.  
I could have been watching him. Why wasn’t I watching him??? I turned my back for thirty minutes. Not even. I told him to play.  
  
He’s too afraid to go outside…. and it wasn’t time for his class. All he was doing was playing by the front door.

I checked on him- I remember. Stuck my head in the doorway and went back to what I was doing.

Nate- Nate was with him. Laura was outside with Jubes.  
  
Rachel is the fucking kicker because she was upstairs. I’m sure Summers is trying to figure that one out. I wouldn’t be surprised if the kids slept in his room for a little while.

We’re all quiet for the next few hours or so.

Another doctor comes out and talks to Adam’s mom. The woman cries and hugs him. Good news- I’m guessing.

“Hey.” The new voice startles me. “Got ya some food.”

The door to the waiting room closes, softly. I’m surprised I didn’t hear it opening.

Rogue bends down in front of me, holding out a bag. “Logan?”

I must have spaced off.  
“Logan?”

“Yea- I’m here.” I shake my head. “Caught up thinking-“  
  
“Maybe it’s best not to?” she says.

Maybe.

To her, I just nod.

“Y’all’ve been here for a while.” she says after a small silence.

“What time is it?”

“Four.”

Remy is sleeping against the wall. “Some help he was.” she smiles.

“Yea. Tell me about it.” I straighten up in my chair.  
  
“We couldn’t get ahold of your phone.” Rogue sits down beside me. She’s dressed in sweatpants and a baggy long sleeved t-shirt. Probably one of Remy’s now that I’m looking at it. Her hairs pulled back, leaving the white streaks hanging freely. Rogue’s pretty. I’ve never been sexually attracted to her- but she’s pretty. I see her more as a little sister. I could say that about a lot of the x-men. I’m the oldest- after all.  
  
I’m not sure how old… but I know I’m up there.

“Phone’s dead.”

“Ah.” she swings a black bag from her back to her lap- I hadn’t even noticed it’d been there- and pulls out a few cords. “iPhone….. 6.” She mutters.

“What?”  
  
“The 6.” She untangles a massive knot of various cords and USB adapters, her movements hindered by her gloves.“Here.” She passes a white cord to me. “Remy’s got a Samsung.” She pulls out a black cord and tosses it into his lap. He makes some incoherent mumbles and goes on sleeping. “Charge your phone,” she orders.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nods. “Eat some of this food- too.”

“Rogue-“

“Eat some food,” she orders forcefully. “You don’t know how lost I got tryin’ to find a restaurant.”

I look at the fast food bag. “I don’t recognize this one.”

“Some local place.” She says dismissively. “Burgers. You can’t screw up a burger- no matter where you go.”

“I thought Remy said biscuits.”  
  
“No,” she corrects, “Remy wanted biscuits. I think he was just bein’ difficult.”

“Sounds like something he would do.” I have to smile.

We’re silent for a second. “How is he?”

“Bad,” I say, putting my head in my hands and leaning forward. “He’s bad.”

“You’re no better,” she says pointedly. “You need some sleep.”

“I’ll sleep when he gets a room.” I bargain. “Cool?”  
  
She frowns. “Ya, okay. I guess.” She doesn’t know how long it will take for him to get a room. And I don’t want to tell her. If anything it will get her off my back.

I open the bag and eat as much as I can stomach. It’s cold and smells too much like onion. Like a little onion is okay- but don’t drown the damn thing.

Two more hours pass by as I charge my phone.

Around six thirty, after both Rogue and Remy have nodded off in their respective chairs, a nurse walks into the empty room and tells me to follow her- which I almost tip the chair over trying to do.

Neither Rogue or Remy wake up.  
  
We go to a different hallway than the one before. One a floor down by means of elevator. I’m glad I charged the phone. I’ll have to call them to tell them where I’ve gone.

The nurse, a plump brunette with circular glasses and a tired smile, leads me to a room this time. Not a compartment. On the door, there’s a clear plastic hanging tray. Inside is a yellow folder.  
  
My boy. Compressed into notes on a piece of paper. Passed around from stranger to stranger.

“He’s sleeping.” She informs. “And he can’t talk much. He’s got a breathing tube in. IVs in his arm for fluids and pain medication. And-”She pauses. “Well, that’s not important. I’ll just let you go see him.”

“But he’s… awake?“

“Awake? No.” She says. When she sees my face she adds, “We had to wake him up about thirty minutes ago to move him. He’s out right now.”

“But he’s-“

She smiles. “He’s aware. He’ll know you’re there.” She opens the door and holds it for me. “I think you should know- he’s been asking for his daddy.”

Of course he has.  
  
That brings a well of hope to my mind.

“I’ll let you get settled in.” She says quietly. “There’s a small couch on the side of the room- for parents. He can have visitors whenever, provided they don’t disturb the other patients.”

“Thank you.”  
  
She smiles warmly. “He’s a special little guy.”

The room is dark and smells like lemons and alcohol. Cleaner. heavy cleaner. It’s also cold.

“Go on, daddy.” The woman urges.

I walk further into the room. All I can do is stare. There are a million wires. A million tubes. His nose is clogged. His mouth is obstructed. His right hand is in a cast- a tiny little thing. The left arm has burns on it- don’t know how I missed those before.  
  
The door shuts behind me- a little louder than I feel it should be.  
  
He doesn’t seem to notice.

There’s a chair beside the bed, one that’s just a hair away from the mess of cords and tubes.

“Hey, buddy,” I whisper. “Hey…” I don’t know what else to say. “You did a good job,” I tell him. “You fought real hard.”  
  
There’s the smallest sound- almost a squeak.  
  
“And all your friends are okay.” I continue.  
  
The noise repeats.

“And they’re all very grateful that you were so brave.”

This time his eyes crack open. I’ve never been so happy to see those cloudy eyes. Not since he was born.  
  
Raising a baby is particularly hard. There are nights when the ONLY thing you want is for them to close their eyes. I don’t care if he’s awake right now. I know he’s tired- and I know it’s selfish… but I need to see those eyes.

“Hey,” I stand up and lean over the bed. “Shhh… you were so brave, Aki. You did just what you were supposed to do.”

A few tears slip down his face.

I don’t know how to make them stop… and it’s not like he can tell me what’s wrong.

His left-hand moves shakily as he holds his arms out to me. The universal “Pick me up” sign kids seem to have.

“No buddy. You gotta stay in the bed.” More tears slide down his face.  
  
“Sweetheart, you’re hooked up-“ I point to the tubes. “I can’t move you.”

I can feel his little heart breaking.

“Shh, shh, shh.” I don’t know what else to do. I put my hands on his face, leaning over and kissing his forehead. “You’re doing so good,” I whisper to him. “Daddy’s so proud of you.”

This is fucked.

All of this is fucked.

This isn’t the end of his story. This can’t be.  
He’s four. I can’t lose him at four. Hell, I wouldn't be okay with losing him at ninety-four.

“Up.” is wheezed past the tubes. “Up.”

Like when he was little.

Well… littler.

“Shh.” I can’t hold him. I can’t lift him.

“…please.” That damn near kills me.

“I can’t buddy.” I point to the machines he’s hooked up to. “They’re helping.”

He shakes his head.

“They are.” I point to the tube in his mouth. “So you can breathe.” Next, I point to the IV’s. “So you don’t hurt.” He’s crying again. That arm reaches up for me again. “Buddy,” It’s fucking heartbreaking. And god damn… I want the people responsible dead. I want their heads on platters. I want to go and destroy everything they love. Everything. Just so they can experience this moment.

The door behind me opens softly.

“I was worried you would be thinking that.” I have to admit that the new voice is a surprise- I was expecting the nurse. But then- it’s not really. I knew he’d show up eventually. And I knew he would have ‘words of wisdom’ on the subject.

“Chuck.” I don’t turn around. “See you found the place okay.”

“That I did. Your signals were surprisingly easy to follow.” I don't have to turn around to know what expression he's wearing. It's his 'wise' look. I know it. Everyone says wisdom comes with years. That makes Chuck wise. I'm way older than him- something people forget too easily. You'd think for once he'd be coming to me for wisdom. Instead- I get this. 

“I’ll have to work on that.”

“You’re no different than every other parent in this building.” He assures. “All you are grieving in the most personal ways you could possibly be.”

“Come to lecture me then?”

Of course he has. 

I keep my thoughts civil. No need to make it worse than it has to be.

“I know you want to go after him.” He breaks straight into it.  
  
“Read my mind?”

“Read your face.” he corrects.

“They attacked my children.”

“So did those men in Japan,” Charles says. “And you let them live.”

“Because I couldn’t find them!” I say, already exasperated.

“You came to me,” he says. “You, Laura, and Akihiro. You came back after three and a half years- and you asked for my help.”

I sigh. “I know I did.” I glance over at him. And yup- he's got that look on his face. 

Chuck's not old- but he's starting to show signs of aging. I know if he had any hair- it would probably be gray by now.   
  
The wheels to his chair make a soft almost squeak as he wheels further into the room. 

“Revenge will not do you any good, Logan.” He temples his fingers in front of him. “Back in Japan, your response was to leave. To do what was best for your children, and get them somewhere safe.”

“I know but-“

“Logan- do what’s best for your child.” he presses. “Keep him safe. Show him that there is still good in this world.”  
  
I stare at the floor.

Aki lifts his arms again. “Hey buddy,” I brush the hair back from his eyes. He wanted it like Ro’s. He wanted it because it looked like a shark fin- his words.

“Would you wish what you are feeling right now on another person? Be they human or mutant.”

Damn him for the moment of introspection. “No.” I exhale. “No, I wouldn't.”

“You’re a different man than you were.” He smiles. “That’s a good thing.”  
  
“Yea,” I sigh. “It’s done me a lot of good.”

“It’s doing you a lot of good.” The man wheels to the bed. “Jean and I brought some of Akihiro’s clothes.” He has one of my bags on his lap. “As well as some of yours.” He offers a smile. “I don’t suppose you’ll be coming home anytime soon.”  
  
“I-“

“It’s okay.” He cuts me off. “The world will not end in your absence. The team has made it without you before.” This is said teasingly. “How is he?”

“He wants me to pick him up.” I motion to his outstretched arms.

“I’m guessing you can’t.”  
  
I shake my head.  
  
“He’s tired.” Chuck states.

“Don’t get in his head.”

I start to turn to him but he cuts me off with, “I’m not, Logan. I’m looking at him. I’ve never seen a more exhausted child.” He points.  
  
Akihiro does look tired. He’s having to fight to keep his eyes open.  
  
He half-heartedly raises his arms again.  
  
I lean back over him, kissing his forehead. “Go to sleep buddy,” I tell him. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Stories have many ends. Luckily, if the story is worth telling and gets retold, the ending has a chance of changing. Yesterday, my son was facing his imminent ending. This morning? He’s in it bad…. but he’s moving. He’s fighting.

It’s not the end.  
I hazard a guess as to it actually being a beginning of some sort. I’m not sure if that beginning will necessarily be a good one, however.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.  
Which I hate doing- if we’re being honest.

But if it’s all I can do- it’s all I can do.


	3. Minor plot twists are to be expected

A story is no good without some happy shit in it. It’s got to be balanced- is a better way to put it.

Balancing a story can happen in all sorts of ways.

She always told the best stories. She had a whole slew of them for when the baby was born. She even wrote some down- adventures.  
  
More importantly- Our adventures. Kid-friendly versions, anyway.

It’s in a book in my room. He made me read it to Laura- which she actually liked.  
She would have loved Laura like a daughter. I know it.  
  
She would be proud that I took her in. She was actually the main reason I did. Not that I regret it- but in that moment, with some random kid on my doorstep I just got an overwhelming feeling for what she would have done.

S.H.I.E.L.D occasionally sends cash for Laura's ‘upkeep’. I only really needed it the first few years. As you can imagine, taking care of a four year old and newborn on your own is a little hard. Tack that on to the recent move and… well, it was a lot to handle. Even for me.  
  
The apartment we had was small. They’ve shared a room for as long as he’s been alive.  
  
I slept on the couch. A shitty couch- at that.

Both of them had a thing for the local food. He actually get’s mad when I bring him home Japanese food. He asks where the real stuff is.

Thinking about the kids is tough. I’m worried about Laura. This is her second interaction with shit like this and she’s already been through so much.

She didn’t like me when I adopted her.

To be fair, she didn’t like adults period.

But she loved him.  
  
Her main ‘job’ became to protect the baby. Which she did. Sometimes a little too well. Little did I know she had a reason given the baby sitter I hired. The woman was always complaining that Laura stopped her from doing her tasks.

She got used to me over time. She has started calling me ‘dad’ here recently.  
  
Mainly because he insisted.  
  
Every time she would tell him otherwise he’d simply tell her that she was his big sister and that made me her daddy.

I love her like she was my own kid.  
  
I know I’ll never replace whatever bond she had with her mother- I didn’t save her. I didn’t even know about her. But she’s come to think of me as a parent. If anyone asks, she’s my daughter. I always tell them I have two kids.

Of course, then they assume I was unfaithful to my wife. Which I wasn’t.

But none of that matters.  
  
Today, the story involves some good news. Some balance.

Unexpected but well overdue.

“The interesting thing to note is that he’s healing a little… abnormally.” The man looks up from the yellow folder, holding it in one hand and tray in the other.

Better words could not have been said.

“Abnormally?” I cross my arms and lean against the wall outside his room. He’s with the nurse inside, going to the bathroom, I think.  
He made me leave.  
  
Poor thing can’t talk with that tube down his throat, he just points. When the nurse asked if he had to go to the bathroom, he pointed at me and then to the door. It was… cute. He's been ... a little gun shy about going to the bathroom in front of people since potty training. He was particularly hard to get out of diapers. Given- he's the only kid I've ever tried to potty train. It's one of those things I'm certain she would have done better than me.

The doctor, Dr. Johnson, the man from this morning, nods. “Abnormally.”

“Fast?” I question.

He nods again. “You don’t sound surprised.”

I have to keep from smiling. “Family secret.” I push away his questions. “How fast is he healing?”

My healing factor started off slow and it got faster as I grew older. I remember being sick as a kid. A lot.

He gets a cold every once and a while. An occasional stomach bug.  
  
Laura already has a healing factor. She was genetically designed to be an ‘early bloomer’.

“Fast enough not to be dead.” The man looks at his chart. “He’s got a long way to go but whatever ‘family secret’ you have has undoubtedly saved his life.”

“Should we tell him?” I don’t know how to breach the idea of new powers to him.

“Hmm.. perhaps not right now.” Dr. Johnson says. “It’s best to just let him rest. If he is healing at abnormal speeds, I’m sure it’s bound to make him tired.”

Yea. You could say that. “Sure, sure.”

He knocks on the door. “Can we come in?”  
  
The nurse from early this morning meets us, opening the door. “Yup. We’re all done in here.”

“Great.” The doctor moves past her and into the room.

I nod to her as I pass. She smiles and closes the door behind me.

“Hey, buddy!” The man says with a little too much enthusiasm. “I’ve got some great news for you!”

Aki looks at him warily. “We’re gonna take the tube out of your throat.” The man says happily. “And then, you can have a popsicle!”

He likes popsicles well enough. He’d prefer one of the multicolored ones. What are those called? Fireworks or some shit.

Aki doesn’t perk up at that. I find that beyond strange. I don’t think they’ve let him eat anything yet. And he’s always hungry- He loves eating

The doctor walks to the bed and places the red plastic tray on his lap. I lose track of the chart, but I’m sure he’s got it somewhere.

“Can you open your mouth big and wide for me?”

He doesn’t comply.  
  
“Come on bud.” Dr. Johnson presses. “Big and wide.”

As much as he can, Akihiro turns his head. “Buddy- we need to get that tube out so you can have the popsicle!” The doctor says, cheerfully still. “Can you open big and wide?”

He tosses his head.  
  
“No?” The man chuckles. “You can’t have your treat with it still in.” he crosses his arms. “I thought you wanted your treat.”

Aki’s eyes land on me. “‘Sokay,” I say. “He can take it out.”

“Okay,” The man says. “Daddy said it was a-okay.” Aki turns his head back to the doctor. “Big and wide like…” 

“Jaws.” I interrupt. “Open your mouth like jaws.”

“Jaws?”  
  
“He likes that movie.” I shrug.

“Your four-year-old likes Jaws?”

“Reckless teenaged babysitter.” I shrug it off.

That’s the last time Bobby babysat. “But he loves it, Logan! Look!” Akihiro bit people after that. He nailed Chuck one really good time. I had to spank him. I never have to do that.

“Okay, Jaws it is.” The doctor turns back to him. “Can you show me how Jaws opens his mouth?”

Aki barely opens his mouth.

“Is that really how a shark opens its mouth?” The doctor asks in a child-like way.

“Don’t- don’t ask him that.” I step forward. “He’ll think you’re talking about another shark.”  
  
“He’s four.” The man is smiling. “How many sharks does he know?”

I have to close my eyes. “HIs favorite book is a fish book. It talks all about sharks.”

“Oh.” The doctor turns back to him. “Jaws it is. Do you know what kind of shark Jaws is?”

Aki barely nods his head.

“You do? Cool. Do you know that those sharks can open their mouths really wide? Especially when they’re hungry. Are you hungry? ”

He nods, hesitantly.

I have no clue what’s going on in his head. I know he’s hurting.. but he’s kinda giving off his ‘scared’ signals.  
  
I feel a little ‘scared’ myself. I’m sure that’s coming from him. He’s tired. I’ll bet whatever Chuck taught him to reign in his powers is bound to slip just a little.

“You are?” The man smiles wide. “Well… do you know how a shark like Jaws eats?”

Aki nods again.

“Of course you do! You know a lot don’t you?”  
  
He nods again.

“Okay Jaws,” He puts his hand on the tube. “Open big and wide.”

He opens his mouth a tiny bit wider than before.  
  
“Jaws? I think you’re hungrier than that!”

Just a little bit more.  
  
“Almost got it! A Little bit more!”

Finally, his mouth is open as wide as he can get it. “There you go!” The man slowly removes the plastic. The look of terror on Aki’s face does not go unnoted.  
  
“You okay buddy?” He asks.  
  
Akihiro says nothing.

“Okay then.” The doctor smiles and puts the disgusting plastic tubing on the tray. “You did a good job!” He reaches onto the tray and takes the popsicle encased in its wrapper. “And, you get a popsicle!” He opens the package and passes it to him

Aki hesitates, not taking the red ice.

“Do you not like red?” Dr. Johnson asks.  
  
He shakes his head.  
  
“So you do like red?”  
  
Aki nods a little, but there’s something wrong wth his face. He’s…scared of something.

“Aki, what are you scared of?” I ask, bending down by the bed.  
  
His eyes are on me and his lip is trembling.

“It’s okay buddy.” The doctor says. “Take a few bites. The sugar will give you a little energy.”

“I’ll stop breathing.” He whispers.

“No, you won’t stop breathing.” The man smiles. “You can breathe just fine.”  
  
Aki shakes his head. “I’m gonna stop breathing!” He sounds panicked.

“You’re not-“

I get closer to the bed and take his good hand in mine. “You’re not gonna stop breathing buddy.” I soothe. “Why do you think you’re gonna stop breathing?”

“I’m gonna stop breathing and my heart’s gonna stop.” He has tears in his eyes. “They're gonna take my insides out!”

“Who’s gonna take your insides out?”  
  
“Them!” he points at the doctor.

“No, we’re not.” He says gently.  
  
“My heart's gonna stop!” he repeats.

“No, no sweetie.” I brush the hair out of his eyes. “You’re okay.”  
  
He starts to sob.

“Maybe he’s been more awake than we thought….” The doctor says in something a little close to fear. “There’s no way he could have heard us talking about his surgeries, though. He was on the verge of dying.”  
  
“Shut up. ” I growl and him. “Shh, shh. Aki. It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. No one’s gonna take your insides out.”

“Daddy!” He reaches his hands out to me. “The bad man’s going to take my heart out and make it stop working!” He’s arm trembles. “Daddy you can’t smell the bad man! He’s got no smell!”

He’s got no smell?

“There’s no bad man here.” The doctor tries to assure. “You can check! Everyone in this hospital has a smell.”

“The bad man has no smell.” He sniffles, again. He waves his arm. “I want daddy.”

“I’m right here sweetie.”  
  
“I want you to hold me.” He cries and cries.

I look at the doctor for a moment.

“I wanna pick him up,” I say. “Now.”  
  
He nods. “Yea- sure.” He lowers the side railing on the bed. “Pull that chair over.” He motions to the one a little ways off from the bed.  
  
I pull it over and wait for instruction. 

“Sit.”  
  
He moves some tubes and wires around, moves the IV stand and finally puts him in my lap. His head at my neck and his back supported by my hands. Like when he was a baby.  
  
“Daddy’s got you,” I say to him. “Got you right here. Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”

He’s sobbing still. “They’ve got knives!” he stammers. “Like scientists!”

“Shh, sweetie, you don’t have to be scared of scientists.”

“They’re gonna take my brain out!”

“No, buddy.” Doctor Johnson soothes. “We’re not going to take your brain out.”  
  
“They’re gonna take my brain out!” he repeats. He’s terrified.

“Hey, hey- look.” I point to his bag on the counter. “Doc, get that for me.”  
  
He rushes over and retrieves it for me, popsicle melting in his free hand. I dig through one-handed for a minute before pulling out his fish. “Look!”

He buries his face in my neck. “It hurts.” He whimpers.

“I know baby. I know.” I hold Dragon out for him. The fish has seen better days. He could stand to be washed. and stitched up. One of his fins is falling off.  
  
“Dragon.” He whimpers.  
  
“Mm-hmm. And Professor Xavier brought you some clothes.”

“I wanna go home. I don't like it here.”

“Buddy,” The doctor bends down. “It’s okay here. No one is gonna hurt you.”

“You’re gonna hurt me because I'm a mutant.” He sniffs.  
  
The doctor frowns. “No, we’re not. We have all kinds of kids here!” He offers a small smile. “And ya know what? My nephew is a mutant. Yup. He can read minds! I can’t beat him at any card game!”

Akihiro doesn’t laugh.  
  
“See?” The doctor pushes. “We like mutants here. We like you. We want you to get better so you can go home.”

“Uh huh.” He’s got big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. “Because everyone hates me. And I’m bad. And my mommy died because of me.”

“Wait.” I can't describe my emotion, “Sweetie, your mommy did not die because of you.” I search his face, finding nothing but despair. “Who told you that?”

“She died because I was bad. In her tummy.”  
  
“You weren’t-“ 

“And now they’re gonna make me die too!”

“They’re not gonna make you die.” I soothe. “Akihiro, look at me. Who told you all this?”  
  
What the fuck is this?

I knew he’d be scared- but this is some pretty specific shit to be scared of.

He whimpers. “I can’t tell you. They said they’d find me and take my heart out.”

“No one is taking your heart out.” I let him bury his face further into my costume. I wish I’d changed.

“Did mommy hate me?” he cries. “I don’t want my mommy to hate me. I love her so much.”

“Mommy loved you.” I soothe. “Very, very much.”

The doctor crosses his arms. “Logan, where did he receive his injuries?” He says this in a whisper.

“You see that news story about the kids?” I ask.

“I saw a clip.” he nods. “Akihiro was one of the kids they took. We don’t know what they were doing with them….. found a hole in the prison cell and led the kids out…. but they caught him. And then the building collapsed.” I give him the brief version.

“They’re gonna take my heart out, Mr. Doctor.” he sniffles. “Because I’m bad… like the men back in Tokyo. With the park.”

“I will personally make sure that no one comes near your heart.” He promises. He walks across the room, over by the sink and cabinets on the left side of the wall, and get’s some paper towels from the dispenser over the sink, wiping his popsicle hand off. He comes back and offers the popsicle again. “Would you eat this if daddy held it?”

“What if it’s poisoned?”

“It’s not poisoned, buddy.” he sounds so sincere. “I wouldn't let them poison you.”

“All the food is poisoned.” He starts to cry again. “It’s a trick!”

“Nothing is poisoned.” I soothe. “Aki, you’re not gonna be hurt- okay? Hospitals are where you come to get better.”

“The doctors don’t like me!” He sobs. “I can’t do what they tell me to!”

“Aki- “

“And I made my mommy dead!”

“You did not make your mommy dead,” I say firmly. “Aki, that’s not true. Who told you that??”

“They’ll take out my heart!”  
  
He’s starting to hyperventilate. “Easy.” The doctor says. “Let’s calm down buddy, okay? Let’s just breathe-“  
  
“They’re gonna poke holes in my lungs and take out my insides and fill my tummy with hot water-“ 

“Aki- please, sweetheart.” I plead with him. “They’re not gonna do any of that stuff.”  
  
He’s inconsolable. He gets the point where he’s not even making words anymore.

“Shh.” I pull him in close. His little heart is beating way too fast. The monitor is going crazy.

“Akihiro, you need to calm down for me.” The doctor says after observing the monitor.

“I can’t!” He wails. “It hurts!”  
  
“Sweetie-“

“It hurts!” he’s pulling at his robe, trying to get to his chest.

“Aki- come on baby.” I hold him more securely. “Calm down for daddy.”

He whimpers and sniffles and sobs. It’s too much to bear.

“Look at Dragon.” I put the fish in his face. “See him?”

He nods, still crying. 

“Dragon came a long way to see you. To make you feel better.”

His crying quiets a little bit. “He doesn’t want for you to be scared.”  
  
Aki nods, cheeks wet and lip trembling.

“Goldfish are good luck. Did you know that?”  
  
He shakes his head.

“So Dragon is a lucky fish.”

He nods.  
  
“And if you have your lucky fish- you’re lucky too.”

“Lucky?”

“Mmhmm.” I nod. “And you can breathe all on your own now. And move around a little.”

“Dragon.” He sniffs, taking the fish in his good hand and bringing it to his face.

“Yup.” I kiss his head. “Dragon’s gonna keep you safe.”

I’m gonna keep you safe. I will destroy anyone who possibly could think to come near you.

I am, after all, one of the best weapons to have been designed by fuckers just like the one’s who took him.  
  
If they want to see what a pissed off mutant can do - I will show them.  
  
Chuck be damned. This is my child. Mine. I’m supposed to protect him. I supposed to make sure he can grow up happy and free. To keep the things that happened to me from happening to him.

“Do you want this popsicle?”  
  
He hesitates before he nods, just the slightest movement of his head.

“Doc?”

He passes over the red popsicle. The wood at the bottom is sticky and wrapped in a brown paper towel.

“You wanna hold it or do you wanna hold Dragon?”

“Hold Dragon.”

“‘kay. Daddy will hold it.”

I hold the popsicle in front of his face, as close as I can without touching him with it.

“Bite?”

“Buddy,” the doctor sits on the edge of the bed. “Hows your chest feel?”

He takes a small bite. “It’s hurty.”

“Hurty?” The doctor picks up the discarded folder that he’d placed on the bed under the tray, and starts to make notes. “How hurty? On a scale of one to ten. Ten being the most hurty.”

“Seven.” He takes another little bite. “A big seven.”  
He doesn’t understand that numbers don’t have upper cases yet.

“A big seven?” The doctor writes something else down. “Does your throat hurt?”

He nods. “I thought it was cuz I was crying.”

“No, it’s not.” The doctor smiles. “How bad, one to ten?

“Five.”

“Five?”

“Little five.” Aki nods.

“Little five.” He repeats.

“Did you write it down?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you write that down in your book?”  
  
“Yea.” The doctor turns the chart around and shows him. “It’s your notes.”

“Notes?”  
  
He points to the top of the paper. “See? That’s your name.”  
  
“That is my name.” he nods. “I know cuz it’s got two little I’s.”

“It does have two little I’s.” The doctor praises. “Very good.”  
  
Aki takes another small bite. “My last name starts with an ‘H’” he takes another bite. “A big one.”

“Very good.” Dr. Johnson smiles. “It does.” He lets him eat a few seconds. “Do you like your popsicle?”

He nods.

“Does your tummy feel upset?”

“No.”

“Does your tummy hurt?”

“Little three.”  
  
“Little three.” He turns his chart around and writes it down. “When you went potty did you go number one or number two?”

Aki buries his face in my chest, holding Dragon under his nose.  
  
“Buddy?”

“Na uh.” he shakes his head. “I’m embarrassed.”

“Okay.” The doctor nods. “I’ll just ask Nurse Samantha.”

Aki eats some more popsicle.

“Does your back hurt… low down?”

Kidneys. He had something wrong with his Kidney’s this morning.

Aki nods. “How bad?”

“Little six.”

The doctor nods. “If you go number 1- will you tell me if it hurts?”

He shakes his head. “Will you tell daddy if it hurts?”

“Okay,” Aki says softly. “But it’s embarrassing.”

“No, it’s not.” The doctor says. “Everyone has to go to the bathroom. Everyone. On the planet.”

“Fish go to the bathroom,” Aki says.  
  
“Yea, they do.” The doctor nods. “You like fish?”  
  
He nods, holding out Dragon. “This is my fish.”

“I see.”

“He’s not real, though.”

“Ah.”

Aki has to be one of the cutest conversationalists I’ve ever seen. Sometimes, the boy just likes to talk.

“Do your legs hurt?” the doctor continues down his list.

“Big nine.” he says.

“Big nine?”

“Can’t move them.”

“At all?”

He shakes his head. “Hurty.”  
I cradle him more gently, watching how I position them.  
  
“Did they hurt more or less when you were in the bed?”

He pauses. “Less.”  
  
“How much less?” 

“Little eight.”  
  
“Little eight.” The doctor motions to the bed. “Do you think you could lay back in your bed for me?” he asks.

“But daddy’s right here.” He says pointedly.  
  
“Yea- but if you sit on daddy’s lap, then your legs have to bend.”

“But daddy-“

“We gotta go take pictures of your heart.” The doctor tries a new tactic. “We need you to lay in the bed so we can move you.”

“Pictures of my heart?”

“Mm-hmm.”  
  
His scent changes- fear. “Are you gonna cut me open??”

“No, no, no.” The doctor says quickly. “We’re gonna use an X-ray.”

“Like Stephen?”

“Who’s Stephen?”

“He got x-ray’s in his eyes.”

The doctor nods. “Yep. Just like that. Only we use a machine.”

“Oh.”

“Daddy’s got to put you back in your bed- though.”  
  
The bed is meant to move. I noticed that when I first came in here. One of those they can easily maneuver in and out of the room. Kid sized.

“Can you let daddy put you back in your bed?”

He shakes his head.  
  
“Okay. How about your cuddle with daddy for ten minutes.” He holds up ten fingers. “And then you lay back in your bed.”

“Ten minutes?”  
  
“Ten minutes.” He wiggles his fingers.

“‘Kay.” He nods.  
  
“Kay.” Dr. Johnson agrees. “I’ll be back in ten minutes.”  
  
He picks the chart and the tray and nods to me, exiting the room without another word.

“Done with your popsicle?” I ask when the door shuts.Most of it’s melted through the paper and down my hand.

He nods.  
There’s a freestanding platform that an be moved over the bed like a tray, I lean forward and put the popsicle on that.

“They said you wouldn’t find me.” He wraps his hand, Dragon and all, in my costume's mask, playing with it.

“I found you.” I kiss his hand. “I’ll always find you.”

“Except when we play hide and seek.”  
  
I grin. “You’re a good hider.”  
  
“No. You're a bad seeker.” He giggles.

“I am an excellent seeker.” I correct. “You’re just too good to find.”

“Laura can find me.”

“Laura is better than me.” I laugh. “Are you gonna be a big boy and lay in the bed when the doctor comes back?”

He shakes his head. “I want you to lay with me.”

“Buddy there is no way daddy’s gonna fit in that bed.”

“What if I lay on you chest?”

“Na uh.” I motion to the bed. “Still too small.”

“Is that just because you don’t like doctors?”  
  
I frown. “I like doctors.”  
  
He shakes his head. “No, you don’t. Because they put metal on your bones.”

I inhale slowly. “Who told you that?”

“That’s why you’re so heavy. And why your points are shiny.”

He calls the claws ‘points’. He was so impressed when Laura had a pair. He asked when he would get his.  
I told him he might not…. now with the healing factor taken into account… I think it’s a good chance he just might.

“Who told you that?” I repeat. “Who told you that doctor’s put metal on my bones?”

None of the X-men talk to him about that. Or even about it around him. They don’t want to scare him. The stories Laura tells are scary enough.

He shakes his head. “I can’t tell you that. They’ll take my heart out.”  
  
So whoever took him knows about how his momma died and that I was in Weapon X. Interesting.  
  
“Did the bad man tell you that?”

He nods. “Yea.”  
  
“Buddy, did the bad man come in the school? Before he took you?”

“Said he was one of Professor Xavier's friends,” Aki says quietly. “He played with us.”

“Who all did he play with?”

“Me and Nate and Laura and Rachel.”

“When?”  
  
“We played a lot.”

“When?” I repeat.  
  
“All week.” Aki informs. “He said he had a fun place we could go… that Professor Xavier said it was okay. And that he had doggies.”

“But you don't leave the house….” He’s too scared of the outside world.  
  
“He put a blanket over me so I didn’t have to see.”  
  
“He… sweetie, did he come inside when he took you?”

He nods. “He’s invisible.”

“He’s….” Fuck. “Invisible?”  
  
“And he can make us invisible too.” He shakes his head. “I don’t like being invisible.”

“Did he make all of you invisible?” He nods. “And then he took you where? To a car?”

“To a car. And then a helicopter. It was really scary, daddy.”

“I bet it was.” I put my hand more firmly on his back. His chest is pressed against mine, his face is buried in my neck.  
  
“You stink.”

 

I laugh. “I haven’t shower-“ 

“No. You smell scared.”  
  
I freeze.

“I’m a little scared.”

“Is it because of the doctors?”

“No.”

“Is it because of the hospital?”

“No.”  
“Is it because of the bad man?”

I nod. “Yea. It is.”

“Don’t be scared, daddy.” He says sweetly. “We have Dragon. He’s a lucky fish.”

I laugh a little. “That he is.”

“Do you think you could get Peter, Sammy, and Noel?”

“I could call Ro.” I nod. “She’d be happy to bring them.”  
  
His toys. A plastic whale, a stuffed crab, and a stuffed dinosaur.  
  
The names- I got no clue where they came from.

“I like Ro Ro.” He smiles. “She’s pretty.”

“She is pretty.” I agree.  
  
“You like to kiss her.” He teases. “Kissing is gross.”

“Oh yea?” I laugh. “You won’t feel that way when you’re older.”

“I’m never gonna kiss anyone when I’m grown up.”

“You kiss me and Laura.” I point out. 

“Those aren’t kisses.” he insists. “They’re pecks.”

“Pecks?”

“Like a bird.”  
  
“Why would you-“  
  
“Like on animal planet.”  
  
I keep my groan internal. “Hank let you watch animal planet again?”  
  
Last time it was rhinos. He headbutted everything. That’s all well and cute until he decided to try it against me. Adamantium cracking against a three-year-old’s forehead is a horrible sound.

“Yes.”  
  
“And now you peck.”

“And now I peck.” He nods.  
  
The door opens and Dr. Johnson comes back over. “Okay bud. It’s been ten minutes. Can you get back in your bed?”

he turns his head to face him. “Can daddy come?”

“Daddy can come.”  
  
He nods.

“Okay daddy, carefully stand up,” He instructs. “Careful, careful, careful.”  
I  
want to growl at him, but I don’t want Aki to pick that up. I lay him gently back to the pillows. He pulls Dragon to his chest.

“And we’re good to go!” Dr. Johnson says happily. “Are you ready buddy?”

Aki barely nods.

“Okay! Let’s go take some pictures!”

Today’s been a lot to digest.  
  
The news about the ‘bad man’ is something I’ve got to tell Summers. Preferably in the next thirty minutes or so while it’s still fresh. I can have him start to talk to the other kids- see what they know.

“Let’s get a move on!” The doctor hits some brakes and switches on the bed and starts to roll it out of the room. I follow, still in thought.

This man- the bad man- he knows us. All of us, I’m betting.

And he could be invisible? I’ve never fought someone with invisibility ( I don’t think).  
  
Could be one of the guys who was after her. That would explain how he knew how she died.  
  
Akihiro was on the right track to what happened when he said “I was bad in her tummy” . I can see how someone can spin what happened so that it was his fault.

I killed the men who poisoned them- though. I’m sure of it.  
  
I had to have. I hunted them down for days.

I slaughtered every owner of every scent I found in that compound. Lab techs, scientists, doctors- the only one who made it out alive was the nurse. The other victim who helped me with Aki’s ‘birth’. It was a stroke of luck.

In the midst of the hunt- Ororo tracked me down and literally beat some sense into me when I tried to fight her. She told me my wife was dead, but my son was alive. And that all he needed in the world was his daddy. So I came back. Ororo and Kitty had been watching him. Kitty being like what- fourteen at the time? She loved it.

I came back and I took him with me back to Japan.

Holding him, after missing out on his first few days- after killing so many people- it was the oddest experience.

He had a head full of hair and a tiny little voice. Barely cried- even on the flight. People were actually complementing just how quiet he was.

She was kinda quiet too. Until you pissed her off- that is.

We had a place in Tokyo. It was bigger than the place I ended up in.  
  
Without her working, I couldn’t afford that place. And then shortly after we moved into our old apartment, Fury shows up at my door with a kid. A kid who looked a lot like me.

It was a whirlwind of shit happening all at once.  
  
But in the midst of that- I’m sure the person who killed her died.

I don’t know how they could possibly have come back.  
  
Which means someone else knows what happened to Itsu. They know the baby lived.

I’m wondering what they knew about Nate and Rachel. They were both brought into the world a little…. oddly.

Jeanie was never pregnant. Not in this timeline.

Rachel was brought her for safety. Nate was taken from the clone.

Both Jean’s kids- but she was never pregnant.

She loves them just the same

If they had information of Akihiro, I’m almost certain they had it on the Summers kids.

Enough to trick Nate- who’s powers are active. We don’t know how much they’re active or how powerful he is- but he’s got a good bit of power to him.  
  
He wields it as much as a six-year-old could. Telekinesis being his favorite to use.

Jean and he are always fighting with their minds. She has to watch him when he throws fits- just so she can stop whatever he’s throwing from doing any damage.

Rachel, we’re told, will have telepathic abilities. But she’s too young. Topping out at Two- almost three- who knows what she knows?

Who knows why the ‘bad man’ decided he wanted all of them?  
  
Or where the other kids come into play. As far as we know- none of them were mutants. Our four were the only ones.

And how they knew Aki was a mutant- I don’t know. We don’t tell people about his powers unless we have too. After what happened in Japan, he’s afraid of people knowing.

Whoever this is, knew when to attack.

In a story, when something unexpected happens to the plot- it’s called a plot twist.  
Several stories have them. If things are too straightforward- it gets a little boring.

I wouldn’t call this twist a ‘game changer'. But it’s given us a pretty confusing direction to start in.  
I’ll call Summers. See what is ‘tactical genius’ says we should do.

To be honest, I’d much rather he be off doing whatever the fuck he does when he’s not power tripping over us and let Ro do the planning.

That’s just me, though.


	4. Plot points have to be made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this has gotten hits faster than any story I've written on this site! Thanks so much for reading!

“It’s a clown fish.” She holds up the stuffed animal, almost proudly. “Because clowns are funny and you like fish.” She nods like this is the most logical statement in the world.

“And…” Ororo adds, “We brought Peter, Sammy, and Noel.”  
   
She passes a plastic grocery bag to him.

Laura passes him the fish. “His name is Frank.” She says with a smile.

  “Frank is a good name for a fish.” He grins. “Thank you.”

“Ro Ro helped me pick out the name.” Laura points to her. “She said it was an alliteration. Alliterations make names ‘cute’ and ‘fun’.”

Frank the fish is placed beside Dragon. Peter the plastic whale is placed beside him on his other side, Sammy the stuffed crab is placed in his lap, and Noel the stuffed Brontosaurus is placed with Dragon and Frank.

“You got all your stuffed friends,” I say.  
   
I look over his happy face. He’s sitting up with his lunch tray on the table like platform over the bed.   His x-rays showed a lot of damage to his heart, lungs, and kidneys. An examination on the stitches on his legs showed that they weren’t anywhere close to healed.  
   
He nods. “And noodles.”

“And noodles.”

He slurps some of the said noodles off his fork. It’s too big for his hand but he won’t let me hold it for him.

“Are you feeling better?” Laura asks, sitting down in the chair by the bed.  
   
Aki shakes his head. “My heart hurts.” He thinks. “And my legs.”

“Where the bad man cut you?”

He nods, looking down. “We’re not supposed to talk about the bad man.” He whispers.  
   
“Scott said it was okay.” She whispers back. “Nate told him all about him.”

“Nate shouldn’t have done that,” Aki says fretfully.

“Jean said the bad man can’t get back into the house.”  
   
“But if he’s invisible-“

  “She promised,” Laura says. “She said she would not let the bad man back into the house.”  
   
Laura trusts Jean. I don’t know why, but when moved stateside, she trusted her almost instantly.

“Okay…” he says unsurely.

“It’s okay,” Laura promises, reaching out and taking his little hand in hers. “We’re gonna kick the bad man’s ass.”

“Laura,” Ororo warns. “Nice words.”

“Bobby said it!”

I smirk and cross my arms. “Bobby’s been babysitting again?”

She groans. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“He said nobody fucks with the X-men.” She smiles. Laura likes being an X-man.  
   
Today she’s wearing her Captain America shirt. Ororo has managed to brush her hair- which I can’t do most days- and even got her into a jacket- which I also can’t do most days.

“That’s right.” I smile.

“Logan.” Ororo says, “Don’t you want to tell her not to use that word?” She raises her eyebrows.   

“Right.” I straighten up. “Laura, don’t use the ‘f’ word until you’re thirteen.”

She nods. “Okay, daddy.”

Ororo is frowning.  
   
“What? Thirteen’s a teenager.” I laugh at her face.

“You don’t have to teach her.” Ororo’s hiding a smile.   The look, like all her looks, is breathtaking on her.  
   
A lot of people don’t understand how I moved on after what happened.   But Ro? Ro was there the whole time. We kept in constant contact when I was in Japan. She helped me with a lot of shit I couldn’t figure out on my own. Specifically when it came to teaching Aki simple reading and writing principles. When I thought I’d have to teach him Japanese and English.

He’s fluent in both, of course. But he prefers to speak English over here. He speaks Japanese around me. He tried to do it with Jubes. I had to tell him she was  
Chinese American and couldn’t understand him.  
   
Betsy is coming and going around the mansion a lot. She can talk to him a little. She’s not necessarily good with kids.

Then there’s the language the kids made up themselves.  
   
We thought it was jibber jabber for while.   But no. These munchkins are talking in code.

Nate decided they needed to be ‘secretive with their secrets.’  
 Leave up to one of the Summers’ brood to decide to invent an entire language.

They leave ‘notes’ for each other. Sloppy little symbols taped up to the fridge.

It’s just little things like ‘outside’ and ‘bed times’ and certain numbers and letters.  
 Nate’s made it increasingly more complicated since he started hanging out with his daddy during tactical planning sessions.

A mini Scott in the making.

“Aki, do you want your juice?” Ro picks up the sippy cup off the tray and holds it to him. “The doctors said you needed to drink more if you’re going to have the needle out of your arm.”  
   
He looks at the cup indignantly. “I do not need a sippy cup.” He glares at it. “I’m not a baby.”

“It’s just so it doesn’t spill,” I assure. “They don’t think you’re a baby.”

“I’m four,” he says.

  “We know bud.”

“I’m almost five.”

“Yes-“

  “And I talk really good.”  
   
“Yes, you do,” Ro says with a smile. “You were an early talker.”

“Nate and I are almost the same age, you know,” Aki informs. “We’ll be closer when I’m five.”

“Nate will be seven when you’re five.”  
   
He frowns. “Can’t Nate and I be the same age for once?”

Ro laughs. “Age doesn’t work like that.”

He’s quiet for a few seconds.   “Drink your juice buddy.”

Laura turns to Ro. “Do you have my orange soda?”

“I do.” Ro reaches behind her to the counter that’s beside the sink and retrieves a Fanta.

“I want some of that!” Aki points as soon as he sees it.

“No.” I have to put my foot down now before he ‘sways’ anyone. His powers are a little… unpredictable. “You have your juice.”

“I want soda!”

“You have juice.” I insist.  
   
His lip pokes out. “Daddy, I’m sick.”

“I know buddy.” I take the sippy cup and put it in his hands. “That’s why you drink juice.”

“Sick boys get soda.”  
   
“You get Sprite when your tummy is upset.” I correct. “That’s not Sprite and your tummy is not upset.”

“I really want some.” he pouts.

“Juice.”  
   
He takes the sippy cup with a pouty look on his face, sipping some while looking deeply offended.

“Now eat your noodles.”  
   
He nods is head and takes another bite.  
   
He asked for ramen.

The closest thing I could get him was spaghetti without the sauce.  
   
Ororo looks at me with a smirk. “Scott and Jean were planning to bring Nate and Rachel in a little while,” she informs. “I think he wants to go over a plan of attack.”

“We have enough intel for a plan of attack?”  
   
She frowns. “Not really.”

“But if there’s a hint-“

  “He’ll find it,” she says. “I think he wants to talk to Aki.”  
   
Now I frown. “Nothing too-“   

“He’ll have tact, I’m sure” she assures.

I cross my arms. “What did Nate say?”

 “He said a lot,” she informs. “A lot of what Aki said. A lot that he didn’t.”

“Oh?”

“The bad ‘man’ was actually a group of ‘men’. The ‘man’ wasn’t the leader- he was just the abductor. ” she says, quietly, turned away from the kids. I follow her lead.

“One had white skin.”

“Like..”

  “Pale white.”

“Sharp teeth?”

“And… a jewel on his forehead.”

I can’t believe what she’s telling me. “You think-“

  She nods. “It would explain why he took Nate and Rachel.”

“What’d he do to them?” I ask in what hope is a quiet enough tone.

“Nate said he ‘poked them’ with needles. And put a helmet on him that ‘made his brain hot’.”  
   
“So.. is it Sinister?”  
   
She frowns again. “He doesn’t usually work in groups.”  
   
“He worked with Apoc-“

  “Not him.” She says quickly. “No worries on that front.”

“There’s someone else then.”

“ I think they’re unknown.” She agrees, before turning her attention back to the kids. “Logan.” She points.

I turn around and see Laura standing up in her chair and trying to tilt the bottle of Fanta back into Aki’s mouth.

“Laura…” I warn.  
   
She puts the bottle down.  
   
Aki’s shirt is drenched in orange soda.

“He was thirsty.” the girl defends.  
   
I notice his sippy cup is on the floor.

“Aki, I told you to drink your juice.”  
   
He looks down. “It fell.”

I have to keep from smiling. “Now we gotta change your shirt.”

I pull the tray off the bed and place it to the side.

“Does that mean we have to call Nurse Samantha?”

“Yup.”

“Do they have to take my chest stickies off?”

“Yup.”

“I don’t like the noise the machines make.” He frowns.

“Yea, I know buddy.”  
   
I walk over to the bed and push the call button on the remote.  
   
“What’s that?” He watches me carefully.

“It’s the control to your bed. Don’t touch it.”

“My bed has a controller??”

  “Don’t touch it,” I repeat.

“What’s it do??”

“It doesn’t matter because you’re not going to touch it.”  
   
He looks around me. “Ro Ro, can you make daddy give me the controller?”

“How?” She laughs.  
   
“With your girl magic.”

I stare at him for a long minute. “Girl magic?”

“The magic that makes you want to kiss her. And look at her butt.”

Ororo is hiding her smile behind her hands.

“Do I have girl magic?” Laura asks.

“No, you don’t. “ I growl.

“Will I have girl magic?” She continues.

“No.” I try to keep heat out of my voice. I don’t want to think about Laura and boys.

“Sure she will.” Ro smiles.

“No, she won’t.” I snap.

“Use your girl magic, Ro Ro!”

She goes to say something- but the nurse coming in stops her.  
   
“Hello, Aki.” Nurse Samantha says. “Do you need something?”

“Do you have girl magic?” Laura asks the woman.  
   
“What’s that sweetie?”

“Girl magic. That makes boys look at your butt.”

“That’s enough,” I say awkwardly. “Let’s talk about something else.”

The nurse smiles. “Aki,” She says instead of addressing that subject, she bends at the knees. “You’re all orange!”

he smiles. “My toys aren’t wet, though.”

“That’s wonderful.” She walks over to the bed. “Who’s your friend?” She points to Laura.  
   
“That’s my big sister,” he says with a nod. “She’s eight.”

“Hello.” The nurse greets. “I’m nurse Samantha.”  
   
“Are you taking good care of my little brother?”  
   
She nods. “Yep. Me and all the other nurses and doctors.”  
   
“He needs to be kept safe,” she says seriously.

“I promise to keep him safe.” The Nurse leans forward and offers her pinky to Laura. “I pinky promise.”  
   
Laura takes her pinky with a smile, shaking it.

“Okay.” The nurse claps her hands. “Let’s get you changed!”

It takes a lot of unhooking and moving around, causing a lot of ‘ows’ and wincing- but he’s changed into a short-sleeved pajama top and replugged within five minutes.

As they’re finishing up there’s a knock at the door.

Before we can respond the door slams open and Nate comes rushing in, going to jump on the bed.  
   
“Nathan!”  
   
Nate’s motion is stopped- mid air. He hovers there for a few seconds as Jean walks into the room. She moves her hand and gently drops him on his feet.

“I wanted to play bear hug.” The brown headed boy says defensively.

“He’s too sick for that.” Jean shakes her head. “We were going to wait outside,” She motions back to the door where Scott’s struggling with Rachel. “But…”

  “I kicked it open!” Nate cries happily.  
   
“Which I told him not to do,” Scott says from the door.

“I’m training to be an X-man,” Nate informs. “X-men knock doors down.”

“This door had a handle,” Jean says, smirking. “It didn’t need to be knocked down.”

“I was jumping into danger.”

If Aki wasn’t sick, he would have full on tackled him.   They play that game a lot. I don’t really like it that much.

The Nurse looks a little stunned.

I don’t know if it’s because of the door or the hovering child.

“I’ll give you the room.” She nods to Jean as she passes.  
   
Jeans lowers her head. “That is not the impression I wanted us to make.” She rolls her eyes. “Nate has been watching a lot of war movies.”

“Bobby?” I ask.  
   
“Bobby.” She nods.  
   
“Someone should be watching him,” Ro adds. “Honestly.”

“Tackle!” Nate jumps again.   

“NO!” Jean pulls him back telekinetically.

“Nate,” Scott chides, setting Rachel down and going over to the kid. “What did I tell you about being rough with Akihiro?” He takes him by the shoulders.

“But he was awake!” he whines. “You said we needed to be quiet so he could sleep. He’s awake.”

“He’s still sick.”

“Hi, Nate!” Laura waves.

He waves back happily. “I wanna go play now,” he says to his dad.  
   
“Only if you’re careful,” Scott says.

“I’ll be super careful,” Nate promises.  
   
“No jumping, no climbing, no telekinesis.” Jean runs down the list.

“Mommy,” He says indignantly. “I need to have a talk with my troops. You’re embarrassing me.”

That’s Nate. Future leader of the X-men.

“Don’t talk like that to your mother,” Scott says. “Got it?”  
   
Nate crosses his arms.

“Nathan- we will go home.” Scott threatens.

“Fine!” Nate says in exasperation.

“Good.”

Rachel makes her way over to the bed, playing with blankets hanging over the edge.

“Can I talk to my troops now?”

“Yes.” Jean sighs. “Go talk to your troops.”

Jean and Scott make their way over to us, on the ‘grown up’ side of the room. The kids start talking about ‘attack patterns’ and ‘air force strikes’.

“Did Ororo happen to tell you-“ Scott starts.

  “Yea.”

“Okay good.” He nods. He puts his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I want to talk to Akihiro… if that’s okay.”  
   
He’s not really asking- I know that.   “If you upset him, I’ll kick your ass myself.” I threaten.

Jean fields that with, “Just a few questions, Logan.” She holds her hand up. “I promise. We know how upset he is.”  
   
Scott nods.  
   
“You said he was-“

  I shush him with my hand. “He doesn’t know that part yet.”

“He can’t feel it?” Scott questions.

“He doesn’t know how long these injuries are supposed to take.” I drop my voice to a whisper. “And he doesn’t know what it feels like.”

“He’s a brave little boy,” Scott says back in a normal tone. “Nate told me what he did.”

“Where he lead the kids out or-“

  “He punched one of the doctors in the face and locked him in the operating room,” Scott says. “Nate says he was already ‘sick’ and bloody. They caught him trying to let the kids out.”

“Oh my.” Ororo looks over at the kids. They don’t seem to notice us.

“They… well, they didn’t go easy on him after that.” Scott looks down. “Those injuries, the bad ones? Didn’t all come from the collapsing building.”

“They-“   

“They tried to operate on him. Nate says they had ‘needles’ with bad medicine in them.” Jean informs. “They only used them on the mutant kids.”

“The other kids didn't get any of the ‘bad needles’.”  
   
It’s a lot to take in.

“Aki knew that base well enough to get the kids out... because he got away four times.” Jean continues. “Four times, Logan.”  
   
It’s too reminiscent of her. She got away too. I saw the video. Knocked the fuck outta three guards and ran like hell.

“Aki, Nate, and Laura led every single child out of that building.” Scott continues. “All of them.”

“Aki was caught in the rubble because he insisted that Nate and Rachel go in front of him.” Jean looks over at the kids. “He saved their lives.”

So the kids did a mission of their own.

“Future x-men in the making,” Ororo says proudly.  
   
“I’m going over what Nate saw with him.” Jean crosses her arms. “Telepathically. We’re going slow.”

“Any new info?”

She frowns. “Nate saw something that looks a lot like a Cerebro copy.”

“A shitty one,” Scott says. “They tried to see if he could work it.”

“It hurt my head!” Nate calls from the bed.

“Grown up conversation, Nate!” Scott calls back.

The boy goes back to talking to the other kids.

“They got all their DNA,” Jean says. “We’re worried about…” She drops her voice down. “Cloning.”

A sensitive topic around both Nate and Laura.

“I see.”

“We thought when you were ready we could go back. Do a little excavating of our own.”

“The way the kids took is the only way in,” I recall. “And it’s-“

  “We had some help moving the rubble.”

I have to frown. It was a metal fortress. “Don’t tell me-“  
   
“Charles thinks-“

  “We have new enemies so it’s okay to involve our old one?” I snort. “That always works well for us.

“He wants to help,” Jean says.  
   
“It would be foolish to trust him.” Ororo crosses her arms and leans against the cabinet.  
   
It would.

“What do you think Slim?”  
   
Scott frowns. “I think-“ He stops. “Nate you put that down right now!”

That steals all of our attention.

“It’s empty!”

Nate has the bed pan hovering about five feet off the ground.

“Put it down, son.” Scott sounds tired.

“It’s a prop for our battle simulation!”

“Pretty sold on battles- ain't he?” I look over at him.

  “He thinks,” Jean says, nodding towards her son, “That the kids are going to go take on the bad man on their own. That’s why he’s been watching all the war movies.” She sighs. “He specifically asked Bobby to watch them.”  
   
Oh, course the kid said yes. I hate to think which one he picked out.

“Oh.” Ro looks at him with a look of gentleness. “He’s not handling it well then.”

Scott shakes his head. “He’s been sleeping in our bed.”  
   
Jean adds, “He says he sees the doctors in his room at night.”

“Aki was freaking out about scientists when they took his breathing tube out.”

“Laura was practicing her claws on the trees and bushes on the back lawn,” Ro says.

“And Rachel’s barely left my side.” Jean looks worn out suddenly. “I don’t know how to tell them that they’re safe in their home… when they weren’t.”

I have to think about it. “Talk to Aki.” I have to give him my permission. “Maybe he knows something the other kids don’t.”

Scott nods and walks over to the kids.

“If you’re trying to talk to my troops, you’ll have to show me your press badge,” Nate says.

“Nathan,” Jean says in a warning tone.

“Press badge?” he crosses his arms, standing up in the chair he and Laura are sharing.

Scott reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper.

“This is a receipt from the gas station!”

“Good reading, Nate.” Jean praises.

“It’s not a press badge.”  
   
“Daddy- up!” Rachel nearly trips him, crawling in between his legs.   

“Rachel, sweetheart-“  
   
“Daddy! Daddy!”

“You’re antagonizing my ranks!”  
   
“Rachel-“

“You’re breaking the security line!”

“Daddy- up!”

“You are an unauthorized news source!”

Ororo is trying to conceal a laugh.  
   
“Nathan-“

“Up!”  
   
Rachel almost succeeds in pushing Scott into the bed.

“Nate make him leave!” Aki cries.

“You don’t have proper authorization-“ Nate gives him a little telekinetic shove.

  This is a shit show.   Rachel latches herself on Scott’s leg.

“Jean?” He calls over helplessly.  
   
Jean’s got her phone out, taking pictures.

“Oh that’s very helpful, dear,” he growls. “Rachel, you’ve got to let go of daddy’s leg-“

  “I’m court marshaling you!” Nate yells. “You’re a traitor!”

“I am not-“    
 “A traitor?” Aki gasps.  
   
“No- Aki I’m not a traitor I'm-"  
   
“Daddy look!” Rachel is really latched on there.  
   
Jean walks over to her husband laughing. “Come on baby.” She coos to her daughter. “Give daddy his leg back.”  
   
Rachel let’s go without a fuss, allowing Jean to pick her up and come back to us.  
   
Rachel plays with Jean’s hair, tugging on it a little roughly.

“Ouch.” Jean moves her to a more desired position. “Rachel if you keep pulling I will put you down.”

“Wanna play with Nate!” The girl cries.

“Nate’s got to talk to daddy.”  
   
The two redheads start to bicker.  
   
Well as much as an adult can with a two-year-old.

“You’re attacking us on foreign soil!” Nate cries, back over at the bed.

  “Nate!”

“You’re an anti-mutant extremist!”

“Nathan-“

  “You work for Mojo-jo-jo-“

  “It’s Mojo-“ Scott sighs. “And he’s not in this dimension.”

“You work for Magneto!” Nate gasps.

“I do not!” Scott finally snaps. “Nate, son, please.” he begs. “Stop.”

“I’ll not allow anarchy in my ranks,” Nate says quietly.

“You don’t know what anarchy is.” Scott dismisses.  
 “I do too. It means no rules and no bedtimes.”

“I want an anarchy!” Aki cries.  
“I want one too!” Laura joins him.

“There’s mutiny in the ranks!” Nate looks at his friends. “Guys.” He whispers. “You're on the wrong side.”

“Sorry,” Aki whispers back.

“I’m not,” Laura says easily. “I don’t like going to bed.”

“Laura…” Nate groans.

As fun as it is to watch Summers get his ass handed to him by the kids, I walk over to the bed and stare Nate down.  
 The kid tries to square up.

“Nate, who was in the army?” I ask him.

“You were.” He says quietly.   

“So who has a higher rank?”  
   
“You do.”  
   
I have to smile. “Let your daddy talk to your troops.” I watch Scott visibly count backward from ten. “That’s an order. Got it private?”

“Okay.” he turns to them. “Wolverine says we have to listen to daddy.”

I’ll count that as a score for me.  
   
Nate seems to think that because I have dog tags I was some kind of commander in the army.   I’ve never been anything but infantry but I let him think what he wants.

Scott straightens up. “Aki, I need to talk to you about the lab.”  
   
Aki shakes his head. “I don’t wanna talk about it. They’ll take out my heart.”

“They’re not going to take out your heart,” Scott says. “I promise.”

Aki stares at his blankets.   “They made me ouch.”

“Yea? How?”

“With knives. And needles”

“What did the men look like?”

“One was white.” He says quietly. “And one was big.”

“Like…”   

Aki raises his hand over his head. “Big. With long hair.”

“Don’t say any more!” Nate is suddenly in Scott’s face again. “He doesn’t have a press badge! That’s classified info!”

Scott hangs his head. “Son,” He reaches over and takes Nate under the arms, and sits him in the chair. “You need to let me talk to your troops okay?”  
   
Nate seems to weigh it out.  
   
“Off the record?”  
   
Scott sighs.

“Scott did interviews all day yesterday.” Jean points to her son. “He’s been taking notes.”

“I see.” Kids an oddball. Always has been.

I walk back over to the grownups.

Jean's placed Rachel on the floor, holding her hand to keep her in place.  
   
“Aki, do you know the men’s names? Did they say their names?”

“Lotsa doctors.”

“Yea? Did they have names?”

“Smith,” Nate says.   “Killbeer.”

“Kill..” I stop. “Killbrew?”

“That’s him!”  
   
Ro looks at me. “You know him?”

“Yea, I know him.” I frown.

“He was bald,” Aki says. “He only wanted to take the kid who didn’t have powers- with the white man.”

“Did he give them anything?” Scott asks.  
   
“No.. but the White man did.”  
   
“What did he give them?”

“Purple stuff,” Aki says. “In cups.”

“They drank it?”

“It made their tummies upset.” Aki nods. “They got sick in the cell.”

“Did they make you drink anything?”

“Uh uh.” He shakes his head. “But they cut my arm open.” He raises his cast. “And then they made it broken.”  
   
“They cut your arm open?”

He nods before looking at me. “They were looking for my points.” He frowns. “They couldn’t find them.”

“That’s okay buddy,” I say as gently as I can. “You’re too little for points. If you get them at all.”

“They got mad because they weren’t there.” He says quietly. “So they broked my arm.”

“I’m sorry they did that,” Scott says gently. “Did they white man do that?”

“Uh huh. “ He nods. “And the big man. He checked my fingers for points and my arm.”

“He checked your fingers for points? “ I ask.  
   
“He had points on his fingers,” Aki says. “They were really sharp.”

My blood freezes.   The one person I know that has ‘points’ on their fingers….

But no. If it was Creed, Aki would be dead.  
   
Unless Sinister had a way to reel him back in.

Scott looks over his shoulder.  
   
“Was the big man’s hair yellow?” He asks, on the same train of thought as me.

“Na uh. It was white and black.”

I don’t know anyone that fits that description. Anyone alive- at least.

“The big man looked for points,” Scott repeats. “Did they do anything else?”  
   
“They cut me.” He says. “And slammed my head.”

He turns to Laura. “Did they cut you too?”

She nods. “But I healed.”

“Did they look for your points?”

“I showed them.” She informs. “On my own.”

That doesn’t surprise me.

“They put stuff on Rachel’s head,” Aki says. “And tried to make her move stuff with her brain- like Nate.”

“I threw a table at them!” Nate says happily. “Then they put a collar on my neck.”

So they have access to anti-mutant tech. Could be the Purifiers. Friends of Humanity. Any number of government agencies.

I think about it long and hard.

“What kind of stuff did they put on Rachel’s head?”

“Goo.” Aki looks at her. “Purple goo.”

“Did the goo hurt her?” Scott asks.

“It made her head hot.” Nate butts in again. “She was crying really bad.”

“I see.” Scott looks more frustrated than before.

“Purple goo?” Ro looks a Jean.  
   
She’s frowning. "Could be trying to stimulate something in the brain. It depends on where exactly he put it.”

“Has anyone tried that on you?” I ask.

She nods. “Sinister, once. It didn't get hot, though. It was cold.”

“They were gonna put Laura in a fishy tank and cover her in metal,” Aki says- and that surprises me the most.  
   
“They did what?” Scott asks.

“For her points to be shiny- like daddy’s.”  
   
Laura nods. “It was a big tank.”

“I wanted to be in the fishy tank,” Aki says. “It looked like fun.”  
   
I know from personal experience (very, very, very personal) That fishy tank is not fun.

“Laura,” I walk over and take her hands. “Did they do that? Did you go in the tank?”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“I saved her,” Aki says. “She didn’t want to go in the tank. So we left.”

Oh my god.

“Your heart is beating really fast, daddy,” Aki says.

Laura is eight.  
   
I saved her from this already. I was supposed to keep this from happening to her.

“You did a really good job buddy.” I reach over and squeeze his good hand. “It was a good thing to look after your sister like that.”

Jean and Ororo look spooked.

“So it was full on experimentation,” Scott says quietly. “On kids.”

“Can we not answer any more questions?” Aki asks. “They make me feel sad.”  
   
Scott nods. “Sure. Thank you for answering.”  
   
He nods. “Nate- you can be Sammy.” He passes the toy. “Laura can be Frank.” he picks up Dargon. “And I’ll be Dragon.”  
 They go back to playing- like they hadn’t just had that conversation.

Scott and I go back to the other side of the room.

“Sinister working with Weapon X?” Scott asks quietly.

“It would appear so.” Ororo frowns.  
   
“But why take the humans?” Jean asks. “Sinister goes after mutants.”

“Do we have tabs on those kids?” I ask, deep in thought.  
   
Sinister works with mutants. Those kids were too young to know if they were mutant or not… but they made them drink something. He could be trying to accelerate the x-gene.   That’s as scientific as I can go.  
   
“They’re on file with S.H.I.E.L.D,” Scott says. “Why do you ask?”

“Maybe Sinister tried to .. start something?”

Jean nods. “That would make sense.”

“Call the parents and have them watch the kids. If they start getting sick- send ‘em to the hospital. No questions asked. Any sign- and they go. ”

Everyone nods.  
   
“And after that?”

I frown. “I guess we go after Sinister. If he’s got this many test subjects- he’s probably around close by. All the kids are from some part of the city- right?”

Scott nods. “Yea, I think they are.”  
   
“And the base was in Nevada…. he wouldn't want to be too far away.”

They tried to turn the kids into weapons.  
   
Besides Laura, I didn’t know Weapon X worked this young. I’ve never met a child in their ranks… children wouldn't survive the process.

“I want Laura to come stay at the hospital with us,” I tell Ro. “Could you bring her stuff?”  
   
“Of course.” She nods.  
   
“Logan- she’s perfectly safe-“Scott tries. 

  “They tried to dip her in adamantium- the only place she’s safe at is with me.” I snap.  
   
Scott holds his hands up. “Okay- you’re right.”

“Keep the kids close.” I continue. “If he’s still around, then he’s still got eyes on them.”

“Now that we know who we’re looking for- it should be easy to-“

  “I’m betting they have some kind of operative working with them.” I muse. “Someone who can turn invisible.”

“Unless that was a cloaking device,” Scott adds.   

“That’s true.” Jean nods.  
   
“At any rate- keep the kids close. Tell them not to go with anyone but you and the other x-men. Maybe make up code words?”

“That’s a great idea.” Ro squeezes my shoulder. “That will work fine.”   She knows how upset I am over this.

We disperse without much more talking. Nate and Rachel say goodbye with a few pouts and a small tantrum via Rachel, but they leave pretty quickly.

“Laura.” I walk over to the bed. “You’re gonna stay with me and Aki- okay?”

Laura nods. “That seems reasonable.” then she smiles. “And I’ll get to miss class.”  
   
Ro chuckles. “That you will.” She walks over to me. “I’ll go get her things.” She leans in and kisses me. “Do you need anything?”

“Pack of smokes?”   

She frowns. “I thought you quit…. six years ago?”

“Seems like an appropriate time to start it back up,” I smirk.  
   
She shakes her head. “It’s not like you can ruin your lungs.”

“All the more reason.”

“I’ll get them.” She says finally. “And I’ll bring Laura’s things. How long do they think he’ll have to stay?”  

 “At the rate, he’s healing? About a week.”

She nods. “Then you’ll need shampoo and soap. I doubt Laura will like the hospital varieties. You know how odd scents upset her.”  
   
I do.

“Thanks Ro.”

“Of course my love.” She smiles. “I’ll return.”

In a story, there are plot points.   Minor, major, stupid, useful.

Points that tie everything together.

The middle of our story had a few.

A government agency- like right now.  
   
A wedding. A honeymoon. A trip around the world.

And water. I remember there being a lot of water.   She was like a fish sometimes.

She wanted to be involved in some kind of marine field. If she’d been granted another life. If her’s hadn’t been so troubled. Or so short.

She was a runner and a fighter. A soft lover but brutal when need be.  
   
She was like Ro in some sense.

Ro and she got along real well.   I think if she had to pick someone for me to be with after her, she would have picked Ro.

Stories have chapters.   Our story was very brief. Maybe twelve chapters- at the most.

Then I got an entirely new book.  
   
One that started like this-

There was a cave and a dying woman.  
 The woman loved unconditionally and she was loved unconditionally.

She was the first chapter. The first paragraph. She had one line of dialogue.

“Take him.” She said. “I love you. Now do this.”

That one line started a whole different story.  
   
One that is a little harder to tell at times.   One that, in light of today’s events, will involve much more than originally planned.  
 That’s okay, though. An impromptu story can be just as good as an official one.  
 


	5. There will be facts to check

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene at the end is kinda what I had bouncing around in my head when decided to write thi fic. So yea. It's a little sad. Thanks for reading!

“OW!” 

 I don’t think there is a sound in life, as a parent, that is equal to hearing your child in pain. Nothing more cringeworthy or heartbreaking. 

“Sweetheart, if you’d just-“   
   
“No!” he whimpers. “Daddy it hurts!”   
   
He holds his little hand out to me.   
   
A lot like when we rescued him.   
   
Buried under that rubble with just a little slot to breathe through.. and he reaches his hand out me.  
   
That was the only slot we could find.   
   
I had to get him to follow me by following my voice- me on top on the base and him underneath it.   
   
Everytime his little voice got further away I didn't know what to do.   
   
The paramedics said to stop. To wait for someone to come. But his little voice was so weak when he got to the last part.   
 when we thought we could pry him out finally, I started slashing pieces, and Peter started to move them.   Five minutes of that- and there he was. Pinned down by a concrete block and a few poles.   
   
Today’s not as bad as that day…. but it's still pretty bad. 

“We gotta clean it out, okay sweetie?” The woman says. “I’m sorry it hurts. But we’re gonna give you some medicine that makes it feel better.” She's frowning. “This one got a little nasty.” 

“Nasty?” I ask. 

“Might be an I N F E C T I O N.” She spells out. 

“Infection?” Laura raises her eyebrow. 

  “She's eight.” I point to her. “And a good reader.” 

The nurse nods.   
   
Aki pushes the woman away with his hand while she’s distracted, his fit growing as she tries to continue.  
   
“Come on buddy.” I try to soothe. “Can you hang in there a little longer?” 

“No, no, no!” He can’t kick her away- but I know he wants to. “It hurts! Everything hurts!” 

He’s been a lot more uncooperative this past hour than he’s been this whole hospital visit.   
   
I don't know why.   He smells scared- though. I can't get him to tell me what's wrong.

“Why are you hurting him??” Laura snarls, fist going back.   
   
“Laura-“ I warn. “Stop.” Her unleashing her claws on the doctor would end very poorly for us.

“She’s hurting him!” She points at the nurse.

“She’s hurting me!” he echoes. 

“I’m not trying to, I promise.” The nurse frowns. “Why are you hurting so much sweetie? Can you give me a number?" 

“Big nine!” He cries. 

“Shh.” The woman tries to soothe. “Big breaths sweetheart.” 

The stitches are ugly and red against his pale legs. 

“My chest hurts too.” He whimpers. “And my back.” 

“I know sweetie.” The nurse presses more on the stitches. “That’s where all your boo boos are.” 

His crying subsides a little. 

“There we go sweetheart.” The woman soothes. “Big breaths for me.” Pressure is applied lightly as she cleans the stitches with gentle movements. “Just gotta make sure no nasty bugs get in there.” 

“Bugs?” He whimpers.   
   
“Bugs.” She nods.   We got a new nurse. A skinny, elderly lady, with a nose like a beak. Aki isn’t very fond of her- he preferred Nurse Samantha. She came in and told him she was leaving so she could go home and feed her dogs. Now he’s asking when she’s coming back 

“I don’t want bugs in my legs.” He whimpers, big tears rolling down his cheeks. 

“I know.” the woman nods. “So we put this medicine on your boo-boo to keep them out.” 

“Are there bugs in my other boo boos?” 

“No sweetie.” 

"What about my boo boo under my cast? Does that have bugs?” 

“No bugs in that boo boo." She frowns. “Have they been checking that one?” 

I shrug.   
   
“I would have gone with a sling.” She mutters. “Shows what my opinions worth.” 

“Are you sure there aren’t bugs?” He sniffs.   
   
“What kind of bugs?” Laura asks. “Like roaches?” 

“Tiny, tiny, itty bitty bugs you can’t see.” She holds her hand out and pinches two fingers together. “Itty bitty.”

“Itty bitty roaches?” He gasps.

“No sweetie." The woman smiles. “Germs. Germs that make you sick.” 

“They can make my legs sick?” He sniffles.  
   
“Yup.” She closes the cap on the antiseptic ointment and pulls off her gloves. “Would you like a popsicle for being so good?” she asks with a smile. 

“No.” He shakes his head. “But I would like more noodles.” HIs voice is so little. 

“Noodles, huh?” She smiles. “It’s not supper time yet- how about a snack instead of noodles?” 

“Can I have noodles for a snack?” I can see her resolve wavering. His eyes are big and teary

“No noodles, Aki.” I sigh. 

He pouts. 

“Oh don’t make that face.” The woman in front of him says in a kid-friendly way. “It’ll stick like that!” 

“Aki’s face can get suck??” Laura asks. 

“If he keeps making pouty faces.” The woman winks at the older girl. “How about you, sweetie? Would you like a popsicle?” 

“Do you have purple?”   
   
The woman smiles. “I will go check for you. Hold on one sec okay? They’re at the nurse’s station." 

“Thank you.” 

 “Do you have noodles at the nurse’s station?” Aki asks hopefully.   
   
The nurse laughs. “No, sweetie. We don’t.”   
   
He frowns. “Okay.” 

“I’ll be back.” She leaves, laughing a little too herself.   
   
We’re quiet for a second. 

Infection- huh? Guess his healing factor’s a little weak. 

I’d hate for it to get worse.

He starts sniffling again. 

“What’s wrong buddy?” I go over to the bed. 

  “I’m trying to be a big boy daddy.” 

“I know you are. You're doing great.” 

“I hurt so bad,” he says. “My ouchies are nines. All nines.” 

“All nines?”   
   
He nods jerkily. 

“I don't want bugs in my skin.” 

Tears are streaming down his face.   Aki doesn’t cry that often. Only when he’s really scared or really hurt. The fact that he’s cried so much since he woke up here is alarming. 

“That's why they gotta clean it out.”   
   
“It's okay Aki.” Laura reaches over and takes his hand in hers. “I won't let them put bugs in your skin.” 

He nods.   Everyone is quiet now. 

 

“I’d really like some noodles now.” he says quietly. 

“No noodles.” I watch him start to tear up. “Aki don’t start that.” 

“But.. but… but…” 

“He wants noodles!” Laura tries to defend. “And he’s sick. Can’t he have some noodles?”   
   
I count backward from ten. “He can’t have them because there aren’t any.” 

“Can you go get some?” he sniffles. 

“Where would I get noodles from buddy?” 

“A sushi shop?” 

“A sushi shop!” Laura cries happily. “I want rice and a salmon roll!” 

“Noodles!” He orders. 

 “Guys- I’m not going to a sushi shop.” I groan. 

“But what about my noodles?”   
 “And my rice?” 

The door opens back up. “Here we go, sweetheart. We had one purple left.” The nurse passes the popsicle to Laura. “And… it’s not noodles, but I brought you this.” She holds out a bite-sized Snickers bar. 

“Any nut allergies?” She asks me.   
   
“No.” I watch his face light up. 

“Candy!”   
   
“That’s right.” She smiles. “Want me to unwrap it for you?”   
   
He nods quickly. 

“Okay, buddy.” She unwraps the chocolate and passes it to him. “There you go.” 

She turns to me. “There’s a little bit of an infection in his right leg- like I told you.” She says that away from him. He could probably hear her at this distance, but he’s too preoccupied. “ I talked to the doctor about it and he says they’re gonna need to do a more thorough cleaning.” 

“He’s gonna love that,” I say quietly. I’m not looking forward to that encounter. 

“We’re gonna dose him up pretty good.” She covers her mouth with her hand. “We gotta give it to him in a shot, though.” 

He’s busy licking chocolate off his fingers. 

“Big shot?” I cover my mouth too. 

“Yea… and it’s gotta go in his leg.” 

“Ah.” 

“We usually get the parents to hold them still… so if we could get him in your lap…”

  I don’t like the idea of having to basically restrain him.   “Yea, we could do that.” 

She nods. “Okay. Dr. Johnson’s going to come in and talk to him about it. Then they’ll bring in the materials after that. Depending on how bad it is, they have to look into redoing some of the stitches.. if the stitches themselves are causing the infection.” 

“Right, right.”   
   
She nods. “We’ll try to make seem as painless as possible. The only part that’s going to hurt is the shot- it should numb him right up.” 

I wasn’t there when they put the stitches in. I have no idea how he’ll react to them. 

“You want to try to tell him- or do you want to wait for the doctor?” 

“I’ll tell him.” I turn back to them. “Aki- can I talk to you about something?”   
   
“Hmm?”   
   
“You know those bugs we were talking about?”   
   
“The germ bugs?” 

  “Right.” I walk over to the bed and stand by Laura’s chair. “Some of those bugs got into your leg and-“

  “There are bugs in my leg????” He starts wailing. 

“Oh- no- no .”   The doctor chooses this moment to walk in.   “What’s the problem buddy?” He asks.   
   
“There are bugs in my leg!” He yells. 

The doctor crosses his arms. “Yea bud. But we’re gonna get ‘em out. Will you let me and Nurse Penny get them out?” 

“How are you going to remove them?” Laura asks suspiciously.   
   
“Well, we’re gonna numb the leg up so he can’t feel anything, and then we’re gonna clean it out real good. If the stitches are the problem, we might need to give him new ones.” 

“New stitches?” He sniffles.   
   
“Yup.” The doctor bends at the waist, getting on his level. “But you’re not gonna feel a thing.” He turns to Laura. “Sissy, can you give your dad the chair?” 

She frowns. “I don’t like that name.” 

  The doctor nods, “I’m sorry. Laura, can you give your dad that chair?” 

Laura stands to her feet, arms crossed, and moves over to the couch by the window. The blue paisley print has her blankets, shoes, and books on it already as well as her book bag. 

I take the chair and watch Aki’s fretful expression.   “You wanna sit with your dad?” The doctor asks sweetly.   
   
“I’m supposed to stay in my bed.” He pouts. 

“It’s okay to sit on daddy’s lap while we get the bugs out.” The doctor holds his hand in a scout salute. “I promise.” 

Aki moves in clumsy little half movements, getting tangled up in the cords he’s attached to.

“I hurt!” He cries when he moves too much. 

“Okay, buddy.” The doctor says. “Okay.” He turns to me. “Dad, why don't you go ahead and pick him up?” 

I don’t need to be told twice. I scoop him up and put him on my lap, letting him wrap his arms around my neck. 

“Now we’re gonna need to roll your pants leg up.” The doctor warns. 

“Okay.” 

He pushes the leg of the shorts up and checks out the stitches. “Hmmm… I do think we’re gonna have to clean these- but I don't think we’ll have to undo them.” 

“Should I get the numbing agent?” The nurse asks.   The doctor frowns. “When you say you hurt- where do you hurt?”   
   
He’s trembling. “I hurt everywhere.” 

“He’s shaking,” I tell the doctor. 

“Big hurts or little hurts?” He puts his hands on Aki’s back. “He is shaking.” 

“Big nines.” Aki is crying again, quietly, but I can hear him.   
   
The doctor turns to the Nurse. “Can I get his chart?” 

The exchange the chart and he’s quiet for a second. “I see.” He nods. “I know why you’re in hurting so much.” He soothes. “We didn't give you your pain medication yet. You were taking x-rays when the nurse came in.” 

Fuck. That’s something I should have remembered. 

“Fuck.” I exhale.   
   
The doctor nods.   “Aki- if I give you a shot, would you be a big boy? I know it hurts, but it’s gonna work really fast and make everything a lot less hurty.” 

Aki buries his face in my neck. 

“I know shots are scary.” The doctor says sweetly. “But you’re such a big boy.” 

“No more hurt.” He sounds like he's begging.   
   
“Just one little prick.” The doctor says. “Can you deal with a tiny little prick?” 

Aki is still for a second before nodding. 

“Okay.” Dr. Johnson turns to the nurse. “Nurse Penny, would you please go get his medicine.” 

Laura stands in the corner with her arms crossed. “He’s hurty because of the doctors,” she says. 

“No darlin’.” I can't get up with him in my lap, I’m willing to bet that if she get’s too close to the doctor she may do something.. violent. “We just forgot his medication. Is as much my fault as it is theirs.”   
   
She frowns. 

“Laura, I promise you,” Dr. Johnson says, “your brother is very safe here. We take very good care of him.” 

The Nurse comes back in with a syringe. 

“This is gonna make you feel a little loopy.” 

“Loopy?” 

“It’s different from your other medicine.” 

He turns to face the doctor. “And then there won’t be any more hurtiness?” 

“No more hurtiness.” The doctor smiles. “I promise.” 

Aki offers him his good arm, and I notice it’s still trembling. 

“Okay big boy.” The doctor uncaps the syringe and flushes it. “Little prick.” 

Aki winces but doesn’t complain. 

He pulls his arm back to his body and turns his head back to my neck. 

“Okay?” The doctor asks.

  “Okay.” He nods. 

“Aki, how do you feel?” Laura comes and stands behind us. 

“I feel… floaty.”   
   
“Floaty?”   
   
“Mm-hmm.” 

He curls in tighter, basically becoming a ball in my lap. 

“We need your leg, buddy.” The doctor reminds him. “Can you give me your leg?” 

“You wanna take off my leg??”   
   
“No, no, no!” The doctor says quickly. “We’re just gonna clean it- I promise.” 

“My leg has bugs in it.” He does sound a little… out of it. 

“Germs, bud.” The doctor takes a seat on the floor.   Nurse Penny comes in with more antiseptic and some oxygen peroxide. 

Aki sings a little made up song while they work on him. 

“…and we went swimming. And to a boat. And to a fountain…. and it wasn’t scary.” He finishes. 

“That’s a great song.” The doctor says from the floor. 

“You wanna hear my ABC’s? I can say them in English and Japanese.” 

“You can?” The man sounds impressed. Like really impressed. 

  “I speak two languages.” Aki nods. “But no one understands the other one here.” 

“Did you live in Japan?” 

“With daddy and Laura.” Aki yawns. 

“I speak Japanese too.” Laura sounds a little left out. 

“You do.” I agree. “And you know how to read it too.” 

She nods. 

“Their mother was Japanese?” He sounds like he’s making conversation. 

“My mommy was the prettiest woman in the world.” Aki slurs. “Even prettier than Ro Ro.” 

“She was pretty.” I agree. 

“My mommy was pretty too.” Laura is definitely feeling left out. 

“Your mommy was pretty too.” I agree. 

“Was your mommy pretty, daddy?”   
   
I frown. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my mommy, buddy.” 

“Cuz you're old.” 

I smile.  

 “You don’t see your grandma?” Dr. Johnson continues working on that leg. 

“She was born the eighty hundreds.”   
   
“Eighteen hundred.” I correct with a smile.   

“I saw a picture of her.. but it wasn’t in color.” 

“That’s right.” I nod. 

“Eighteen hundreds.” The doctor whistles. “That’s a long life span. You look .. young for your age.” 

I snort. “Yea. You could say that.” 

“Guess it’s that ‘family secret’.” 

“I’ll live a really long time too!” Laura hovers behind us. 

“Sweetheart, come here.” I offer my free arm to her.   She takes baby steps but finally lets me wrap it around her. “Are you okay?” 

She shakes her head. “I want your attention too Dad. Aki’s sick, though.” 

“Laura, you can have my attention,” I promise. “Both of you can.” 

“But Aki’s sick. And you’ve been playing, and reading, and cuddling.” 

“You don’t like to cuddle.” I point out. 

“But it looks so fun.” She sounds… 

“Darlin’ are you crying?” 

She nods.   
   
“We’re done here.” The doctor straightens up. “Aki needs to go back in the bed.” 

He’s passed out on my shoulder. 

“Lemme put him to bed- okay?” I say to the girl. She nods in jerky movements. 

I lay him back in the bed and put his toys around him, tucking him in. 

“I’ll give you the room.” The doctor smiles. “They’ll be bringing supper around soon. The nurses have told them there are three people here… what you’ll get is a surprise- but you’ll all be fed.”   
   
“Thanks.”   
   
“Sure thing.”   
   
The room is quiet as he leaves.

  “So… what do you want to do?” 

“I want to draw.” She says. “Will you draw with me?” 

“Drawing sounds great.” 

She leads me over to her side of the room where she’s got paper laid out.   
   
“You’ve already been drawing,” I note. 

“Yea. I drew Aki, Nate, and I.” 

“I see.”   I look at the picture. 

  “The blue is Nate’s powers.” she points. “The purple is Aki’s powers… because I don’t know what color his powers make.”   
   
The picture has some circle people, the boys with short hair, her with long scribbles by her ears. The people are going in some kind of black hole with a red dot in it. 

“What’s that?” I ask.   
   
“It’s the white man’s liar.” She picks up a different sheet of paper and starts to scribble with a purple crayon. 

I nudge aside the first picture to one that’s a green cylinder with a person inside.   “What’s this?”   
   
She looks at.   “It’s the fish tank.” 

“The fish tank.”   
   
She nods.   
   
“See? Those are the doctors.” She points to circular people.   
   
“I see.”   I wish I didn’t. 

I push that aside to one that’s a person laying on a table with a bunch of circles over their head. 

“What’s this one, sweetie?”   
   
“Doctors. And Me.”   
   
“From the compound-“

  “From when I was little.” She corrects. 

One of them has bright red hair. It’s the only one with hair. “Who’s this one?”   
   
She frowns. “I don’t know his name.” 

“But he’s important?”   
   
She nods, continuing to color. 

“He didn’t like me.” She frowns. “None of them liked me.”   
   
“They didn’t like you,” I repeat.   
   
She looks at me. “Because of you. Because you got mad and hit them.” 

“Hit them?” 

“With your claws.” She nods to my hands. 

This is a talk we don’t have often enough. 

“Sweetie-“

  “I’m not mad at you daddy.” She says. “I understand now. You didn’t want to stay with the doctors. Or go in the fish tank.” 

I don’t know what I’m feeling. 

“Ya.”   
   
“They want me to be you.” She continues to draw. “When I grow up.” 

“Oh?” 

“I thought we could both be Wolverine when I’m big. And we can both be x-men. Aki too.” 

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” I offer her a smile. 

She keeps her head down. “Am I alive just to be you?”   That kills the smile. 

“You're alive, to be you,” I tell her. “Not me.” 

“But they want to put me in the tank….” 

“And they won’t,” I promise. “I promise.” 

“But is that because we’re supposed to be the same person? Only they messed up and made me a girl?” 

“No sweetie. You’ve always been you- okay? You couldn’t be me if you tried.” 

She stops drawing.   
   
“I was really scared, daddy.” 

“I know sweetie.” 

“I didn’t think I’d be able to breathe.” She looks at me. “Could you breathe?”   
   
“When?”   
   
“In the tank.” 

“Yea.” I look at her. “I could breathe.” 

“And you could get your claws through the glass?”   
   
“Yea.” I don’t know where this is going.   

“But they had to already have the metal on them.” I look at her carefully. She’s got tears on her cheeks.   
   
“Laura-“ 

“They said I’d been deactivated.” She says. “Like a gun. Or a computer.” 

“You’re not a gun or a computer.”   This is so fucked. 

“They were going to put me in the tank because I wasn’t a person.” 

“You're a person,” I tell her. “Sweetie, look at me- you are a person.” 

More tears. 

“I’m repurposed.” She lets out a strangled cry. “And I had to be made into something else. So they were going to put me in the tank- “ 

“You’re not going in that tank. Ever.” I promise. 

“They said they would but metal on my bones- so they wouldn’t break.”   
   
I don’t know why they'd do it so early. She’d never grow any taller than an eight-year-old. 

“Does that hurt?” 

“Does what hurt?”   

“Them putting metal on your bones. It smelled really hot.” Tears are rolling freely down her face. 

“They’re not gonna put metal on your bones.” I take her hand in mine, stopping their movement across the paper. “Look at me.” She can’t meet my eyes. “Laura- look at me.” 

“I’m afraid it’s gonna hurt.” She starts to sob. “You got mad because it hurt.” 

“I got mad for a lot of reasons.” I soothe. “Becuase it wasn’t right.” 

“Becuase you were a person.”   
   
“Becuase I was a person.” I agree.   
   
“But I”m not a person.” She finally looks at me, tears streaking down her cheeks.   
   
“Baby, you’re as much of a person as anyone else in this room,” I promise, reaching out and wiping a tear from her face. “No one is gonna put metal on your bones, or put you in a tank, or ‘repurpose’ you. Okay? I will not let them.” 

“And you can stop them?” She asks quietly.   

“I got out once,” I tell her. “I can get back in and get you.”   
   
“Even if they make me forget who you are?” 

“Did they say they were going to make you forget.”   

She nods quickly. “They told me I wouldn’t remember Aki or Nate or You or anybody! That I’d be mindless. And I wouldn’t get to color or draw or go to class or see my friends or-“ 

“Laura,” I sweep her up into my arms. “Shh. It’s okay.” She buries her face in my shoulder and cries.   
 And I want them dead. I want all of them dead. 

“No one is going to take any of that away from you,” I promise. “If they take you, I will not rest until I find you.” 

“Even if I can’t remember?”   
   
“If you can’t remember, I will find a way to make you remember.” 

She hiccups and cries. All I can do is hold her.   
   
“You are a person,” I tell her. “You are loved by all your friends and family, you have things you like to do, you have things you want to do… and you’re gonna be a great x-man.”   
   
“Even if I’m scared?” 

“You think we’re not scared?” I rock her a little. “When I lost you and Aki- I was terrified. Jean and Scott were terrified. When we go up against bad guys- it’s really scary.” 

“But you’re not afraid.” 

“No, I am. I just don’t let them know that.”   
   
“Were you scared with the doctors?” 

I nod. “Yea. I was scared.” 

“But you got away.”   
   
“I got away.” I agree. 

  “And you can save me too.”

"I promise I can."   
   
I promise. She will never go through this. I will dismantle every establishment I possibly can to keep this from happening. This is not her future. It’s a small blip her past. In our past.   A series of horrible things that lead to something amazing. 

“Do you want me to throw the pictures away?” she asks after a few minutes. 

“No sweetie,” I say. “Those are your memories. You do what you want to with them.”   
   
“I want to throw the tank away,” she says. 

  “Then you throw it away,” I say with a nod. 

“I want to show some of my drawings to Peter,” she says. “I want him to teach me.” 

“I bet he would love that,” I say with a nod.   
   
She hugs me tightly.   
   
I don’t know how to classify this conversation. I don’t know how to face these animals. They call us the terrors- but then turn around and do this. To a child.   These kids weren’t hurting anything.   They were taken from their home. And then told they’re the defects? 

In a story there are facts.   
   
Things that you can check.   Even fiction has to come from somewhere. Some idea.   
   
Everything has a root.   
   
In a sense, I am the root of all of my daughter’s suffering. And I hate that.   The only thing I can promise her is to love and protect her.   Her facts are that she has a loving family and a home.   It doesn’t matter how she got here, or what happened before she got here- she’s here.   
   
That’s something close to what Ro told me when she first came to me.   
   
She’s a little girl. My little girl. 

And if they think they can come into my home and do this to her- they are sorely mistaken.


	6. Chapters end

If you go back to the beginning, all the way to the beginning- there was her.

Long hair piled on top of her head, bare feet in the water, arms around my neck- her.

After Alberta, after the hotel room, she asked if she could tag along a little further.

Once again, when a beautiful woman asks a man something.. he’s likely to say ‘yes’.

We hit the road. Made it through several more cities before I decided to get to the bottom of why she was there and who she was running from.

She played coy.  
First, she told me it was an abusive boyfriend and they had been camping in the woods.  
I told her that close to a military compound there was no fucking way she was camping.  
Then she told me she was staying with a soldier that lost his mind and tried to shoot her. That was a little more believable- but I still didn’t buy it.

I kept pressing.  
  
She turned it around on me. Asked what I was doing.

I told her I was blowing the place up like I had been doing with its sister facilities all over the country. And the world for that matter.  
  
She actually got angry with me. She said she was trying to help the people trapped on the inside- the test subjects.

I had to assure her that there weren’t any by the time I was through with them.

We were both silent for a moment, sitting at a truck stop restaurant, staring at cups of coffee.

I asked if she knew anyone on the inside.  
She said no but that she was freeing the people on behalf of a friend.

I glanced up and asked if the friend was a guy.  
She smiled and said no. The friend was a woman. A pregnant woman who happened to be a mutant. She was stolen from a hospital in Japan right as she was going into labor.

I don’t really know what Weapon X would want with pregnant women- but hey, I don’t put a lot past them.

She asked who they had taken from me.  
I couldn’t answer her at the time. I told her it was another story.

She wasn’t happy with the answer, but she dropped it.

Three months later after some gentle prodding, she kinda figured out I was one of it’s biggest achievement.  
It was a long conversation. Lotsa stops and restarts.

She actually apologized for humans. She was disgraced by her ‘species'.

We’d been fucking for a while at that point and she felt pretty much comfortable with anything.

A few more months on the road, I brought her back to New York. Said she could stay at the mansion - meet a few more mutants.  
She was overjoyed.

She helped Ro teach a class of younger kids.

It didn’t bother her to not have powers. She didn’t feel like the odd man out.

She was just thrilled that I was involving her in that part of my life.

She didn’t much care for the missions.

We’d come home all banged up to hell and she would worry for her friends.

A few months into staying there, she asked if I could teach her how to fight.

I know pretty much every style of fighting so I told her she’d have to be more specific.

Hand to hand. Material arts. And how to fire a gun.

I didn’t think about what she wanted to use it for.

She got pretty good over two months. Her aim was amazing.

We were pretty much attached at the hip by then.

So I asked her to marry me.  
We’d basically been married anyway. It was just to make it official.

She loved her ring. Loved her dress. Loved her music and cake and everything.  
It was on a beach- because she loved the water.

After the honeymoon, we came back and she, much to my dismay, started coming with us on missions. Extra ‘backup’. I couldn’t order her to stay home. I couldn’t stop her from coming. She acted as backup, medical, and tech support.  
I tried to get her to stay in the jet- but that was a quick ‘no go’.

On one of our missions, we learned that Weapon X had opened up new ‘chapters’. About twelve of them all over the world.

Of course, we wanted to go shut them down. The x-men helped with a few- maybe five or six- me and her took out the rest.  
Our enemies knew she was human. I know that. They had to.  
And they could see she was my everything. That may have been where we went wrong.

She got pregnant like wives tend to do when you’re having reckless high off adrenaline fresh from a mission sex, and we decided to quit for a while. To take it slow.

We got an apartment in Japan. Made sure the baby had a room. Went to all the appointments. Bought all the toys.  
  
She wrote him bedtime stories. All about saving people and being brave.

We found out he was a ‘he’. She was over the moon.  
Chuck told us that it was possible he’d be a mutant. That he suspected my genes were potent.

Given that my older brother most likely had the same powers- now that I’m remembering.

She didn’t mind at all.  
  
Her parents didn’t like me. They didn’t like that I wasn’t Japanese, they didn’t like that I was a mutant, and they didn’t like that I was with their daughter. When she told them about the baby- they stopped talking to her altogether. The called the baby a mongrel. It was a race thing- sure. But it was also a species thing. She cried for a full night.

That was the first time I couldn’t do anything to help her.

The day’s got closer. She got further and further along. Swollen- but happy, none the less. She was always a tiny thing- even pregnant.

I came home one day, I’d been working construction, and the house was a wreck. The front door was open, the windows were smashed, there was blood on the floor. It was hers.

About fifty million different scents.  
  
But I distinctly remembered one. One that I had smelled a million times over.  
  
It was like I was looking at the world through tunnel vision.  
  
I exhausted every resource as to where he could be. As to where they could be.

It didn’t take much to get in touch with Chuck. He used Cerebro for a while and gave me a location.  
Slim offered to bring the x-men, but I turned him down.  
I’m glad he didn’t listen. He showed up late- but he showed up.

They had to remove her body. All the bodies I’ve seen over the years- all of em…. nothing compared. All that blood. All that pain. The guts the gore- and I still couldn't touch her.  
  
I couldn’t look at what I’d had to do.

The doctor had tried to get her to give birth early- and she fought them- even escaping for a brief amount of time.  
  
She was unwilling to cooperate to the point of hurting herself.  
  
They decided she and the baby were worthless.  
They had this injection- A powerful poison.  
They injected her with it to kill the baby. I found her thirty minutes after that- and she gave me my orders.

She was being affected by the poison- shaking, throwing up blood.

Her eyes were determined. She loved that baby- she loved him with everything.

She repeated her orders, gasping through them.

The woman she was contained with told me she could talk me through it.

“I love you. Now do this.”

My claws cut through flesh pretty easy. Almost like it’s nothing.  
  
The incisions- her screams- it was like I couldn’t move.

He didn’t cry at first.

I thought it was too late.

The woman patted him on the back a few times and he started breathing. He started to cry.

It was such a double edged sword. My son was alive… but she was dead.

Stories have a way of working out in ways that you don’t see coming.

All the time I spent with her- never once did I think I’d lose her.

Before a few days ago, never once did I thnk I’d lose him.

This is all just… so strange. History is repeating itself.  
  
Or at least, it’s trying to. What if I’m powerless to stop it?

“Daddy?” Comes a weak little voice.

I sit up in my chair. “Yea buddy?”

“Why are you sad?” He’s tired. It’s about two in the morning. They came in at one to give him is meds- I honestly thought he as sleeping. I’m playing look out. I know it’s probably unnecessary - but it makes me feel better.

“I’m not sad.” It’s easy to lie to a child.

“Are you upset cuz I’m sick?” he asks.

“No.”

“Are you upset cuz I let Nate eat all the candy and he got sick?”

I smirk. “No. But you shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why are you upset then?”

“Just thinking about something sad.” I lean forward and adjust his blankets. “That’s all.”  
  
He yawns. “When I’m sad I watch cartoons and cuddle.”

“Yea?”

“You can cuddle with Dragon if you want.” He picks up the fish and offers it to me.  
  
“I’m good buddy.” He nods. “Go back to sleep, okay?”

He shakes his head. “Daddy if you’re sad, you can cuddle me.”

“I would love to cuddle you.” I smile. “But you need to stay in bed.”

“Okay.”

He closes his eyes.

“Goodnight buddy.”  
  
His eyes stay closed as he drifts off. I wait until his breathing evens out.

I get out of the chair and go check on the girls. Ro is curled up on the couch with Laura, both of them wrapped in blankets the hospital provided.

I hear their breathing, soft and even. Hearts are beating fine. Everyone’s alive in this room.

Ro… she’s a tough one. I’ve seen her take out more than her fair share of assholes.

“Must you?” Her voice surprises me.

“Must I what?”  
  
Ro opens her eyes, bright blue and hazy with sleep. “Hover.”  
  
Laura groans something that sounds like words and snuggles up closer to Ro’s chest.

“Yea. Just checking.” I squat down by the couch. “You okay?”

“Kink in my back aside?” She smiles. “I’ll be fine.” She lightly kisses the back of Laura’s head. “She was having a nightmare again. While you were in the bathroom.”

“Oh?”

“I think maybe you should talk-“

“We talked.” I cut her off.

“Then maybe we should take the kids to talk to someone else,” she says. “All of them.”

“Like a therapist?” She nods. “Have you ever considered taking Aki? After what happened and his various… tics.”

“Tics?”  
  
“Quirks?”

I frown. “Quirks huh?”

“You can’t get him into any body of water… he loves fish so much but he won’t go swimming.” She pauses. “Did he use to swim?”

I nod. “Yea. We’ve been swimming before.”  
  
She nods. “He loves his friends- but when they play outside he sits at the glass doors and watches them… too afraid to go outside.”

“I honestly think it’s just a phase.” I try to defend my child’s… oddness.

“Logan….. he was scared to tell other mutants he was a mutant. When he talked about his powers to Hank- he was hiding behind you.”

“He’s a-“ 

“He’s a fearful little boy,” she says gently. “It’s nothing against your parenting, my love. But the child needs some help… adjusting.”

I sigh. “I know- I know. But getting him out of the house? After this?” I motion to the hospital bed.  
  
“Maybe we can explain the situation and see if a doctor wouldn’t mind doing house calls.”

“I’ll call Chuck in the morning. See if he knows anyone.”

She can see the fret on my face. “This doesn’t make you a bad parent.” She points to the bed Aki’s in. “Any of this. Admitting he needs help is-“

“Admitting I fucked up.”  
  
She smiles. “You’re a good daddy, Logan. Your children love you.” Her face is radiant, even as it’s concealed in the dark light. “And I love you too.”

“Gross,” Laura complains, cracking an eye open.  
  
“Go to sleep squirt,” I order, pushing the hair from her face. She’s gonna need it brushed again.  
  
That shouldn’t be as much of a hassle as it is. She hates getting it cut, though- and what the fuck do I know about doing a little girl’s hair? I can barely put it up on top of her head.  
  
Aki was easy. He wanted a mohawk. Like Ro Ro and sharks.

So he’s got the sides of his head buzzed and the long strands of hair down the middle.  
He also wanted to dye it a different color- but I drew the line there. Four is too young for that shit.

Laura’s is way past her shoulders. Messy most of the time. A lot like mine now that I think about it. Which, thinking about it again, makes perfect sense.

“Aki has to go see a doctor?” She asks.

“Yea.” I nod. “He does. I think you all should.”

“I don’t feel sick… and Nate didn’t feel sick until he ate all that candy.”  
  
“It’s a doctor for your head.” Ro butts in. “Just to make sure you’re okay.”  
  
Laura nods. “Okay…. but we really don’t feel sick.”  
  
“Go back to sleep darlin’.” I lean over and kiss Ro. “Both of you.”  
  
The woman smiles. “If you say so.”

“I do say so.”

I stand back up, going back to my chair and dropping into it like a stone. I’m so unbelievably tired.

Eventually, everyone goes to sleep- me included. I wake with a start about four hours later when a nurse nudges me in the shoulder. “We need that side of the bed, dad.” She says quietly, putting a finger over her lips. “Quietly please.”

I shake myself awake enough to move.

The nurse bends down over Aki, lifting his shirt up and putting a stethoscope to his chest.

He whimpers a little. “Shh, shh.” She says. “I’m just listening to your heart.”

He shakes his head. “No.” he mumbles. “’ts cold.”

“Yes, sweetheart.” She says, moving the metal circle to another spot on his chest.

“No.” He opens his eyes and grabs the stethoscope, pushing it away from him.

“Aki- stop that,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I don’t want her to listen to my heart.”

“Why not sweetie?” she asks.

“Cuz it’s cold.” he pouts.

He’s getting more of his spunk back. The healing factor has picked up some strength over the last day and a half. I hate that the thing to give it a boost had to be medical experimentation- but hey. At least it’s here. At least he’s going to be okay.

Him getting his spunk back has made just a bit more difficult. He’s made it very clear that he is done with this hospital. Yesterday he started unplugging himself so he could leave on his own. He was ready to just walk out.  
  
Of course stopping him led to a fit of massive proportions, but we actually took that as a good sign. His lungs are healed enough for him to scream. His heart can handle it. He even got a few good kicks in.

The stitches in his legs are ready to come out today- judging by the look I got when I was dressing him (much to his dismay).

The nurse rolls down his pajama top, covering his chest back up. “I’m sorry.” She offers him a smile. “But that’s over now. You can go back to sleep if you want.”

“That’s okay.” He points to the window. “It’s morning time now.”  
  
She smirks. “Yep. It’s morning time alright.”

“Morning time means breakfast.”

The woman looks at her watch. “You are right.” She looks back up. “The cafeteria is serving breakfast now. Is there anything special you want?”  
  
He thinks about it for a long second.

“Cereal?”  
  
He shakes his head, sleepily. “Can I have french toast?”  
  
The Nurse nods. “Sure can. Do you want anything else?”

“Can I have meat?”

“Yep.” She nods again. “Which meat do you want?”

“Pigmeat.”  
  
“Pigmeat?”  
  
He nods.

“So.. bacon?”

“Yes.” he picks up Sammy the stuffed crab and starts to play with it.

I say it because unlike the rest of his toys- Sammy is both a boy and a girl. Because Sammy can be either a boy or a girl name and Sammy the crab likes to pick for himself. Or herself, respectively.  
  
“And what kind of juice?”

“Apple.” Sammy waves at the nurse.

“And what kind of fruit?” She waves back.

“Fruit?”

She nods. “Apple or banana?”

“Gross!” he sticks his tongue out.  
  
“Aki you like fruit.” I remind him.

“No, I don’t.”  
  
“You do too,” I say. “You eat apples every other morning.”

“Apples are not for sick boys.” he says in a tone you could almost cause ‘wise’. If it’s possible for a four- year-old to sound that way.

“You’ve got your french toast- now you need a fruit.” I sigh. “Sick boys can have both.”

This sick boy has been babied by a certain wind rider who thinks sick boys should get certain treatment.  
  
I don’t know what he’ll do now that he’ll not be sick again.

“So do you want an apple or a banana?”

“Neither.”

“Aki-“

“Na uh.” He shakes his head. “No.”  
  
“Akihiro,” I warn.  
  
He winces. “You used my name.”  
  
“I did use your name.”  
  
“Is it cuz I won’t take the fruit?”  
  
“Yes.” I cross my arms. “Don’t be difficult.”

“Bananas are yellow.”

“Yup."

“Apples are red.” He sounds like he’s thinking it over.

The nurse stands there patiently. I’m sure he’s not the first picky patient she’s had.

“Lemons are yellow too.” he puts the crab to his mouth. “If I have a banana can you make it taste like a lemon?”  
  
The woman raises an eyebrow. “No... sorry.”

“Hank could make it taste like a lemon.” he says.

“Don’t eat things out of Hank’s lab,” I tell him for the millionth time. The last thing we need is him spouting fur. Or a second head. “Tell the nurse whether you want an apple or a banana.”

“What about grapes?”  
  
“No, Aki. Grapes aren’t an option.”

“No lemon banana and no grapes???”

“Give him the apple.” I groan “If he doesn’t eat it one of us will.”

The woman nods. “I’ll bring some cereal for the rest of you.”

“Thanks.”  
  
“Sure thing. “ she smiles and exits.  
  
I stare at my son for a second, watching him play.

“Sammy the crab is hungry.” He says.  
  
“Oh, yea?”  
  
“He really wants grapes.”

I feel exhausted again. “Grapes aren’t an option,” I repeat.

He’s quiet for a second. “My chest hurts,” he announces.

“How much?” He pulls at his shirt, looking down it.

“Hmmm… little two.” He frowns. “My red marks are all gone, though.”  
  
“Red marks?”

He nods. “Where they sewed me back together.”

“Ah. Yea. They took your stitches out- remember?”  
  
He’s coming along just fine. The doctor said we could unhook him and give him a bath today. I’m glad he’ll get to spend a little time away from the heart monitor. Must be good news.

“Aki,” He looks at me, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with his good hand. “We’re gonna give you a bath today- okay?”  
  
When bathing Aki, you have to give him a set of warnings. One in the morning (you’re getting a bath today) one after lunch (it’s almost time for your bath) one at supper (we’re going to take a bath after supper) and one right before you give it to him (you have to take your bath now).  
  
This is the ‘proper’ way to do it. If an emergency comes up and you can’t do it the ‘proper’ way just brace yourself. There is nothing you can do to escape his four-year-old wrath.  
Boys got a temper like me. It’s not necessarily a good thing.

“At supper?” he asks, voice holding a little bit of fear.

“After breakfast.” I correct.

He closes his eyes for a second. “No, I’d rather take my bath after supper.” He opens them.  
  
I have to smirk. “No, I’d rather you take your bath after breakfast.”

“I think we need to ask Ro Ro.” he says with a nod.

“No, we’re not asking Ro Ro. I said you’re getting a bath. That means you’re getting a bath.”

He pouts. “But I don’t like the shower!”

“There’s a tub-“

“No it’s a shower!”

I walk over to the bathroom door with a sigh.

Inside is a small toilet beside a larger one, a help button on the wall, and a small tub with a shower head above it. The tub won’t hold much water. It wasn’t meant for bathing it looks like. At least not for bathing a kid of Aki’s size. Not well- anyway. More so to hold the water from the shower. That seems like a flaw in a children’s hospital.

“Ro Ro it’s a shower.” he’s saying as I come out.  
  
She’s sitting up on the couch, rubbing her eyes. “I could make some rain.” She offers. “Over the drain?”

He’s still frowning. “I’d rather take a bath at home. Can we go home and take a bath?”

“No buddy. We gotta stay here for a few more days.”

Actually at this rate should be a day at the most. If he does well this morning- they may even send us home today. Definitely tomorrow.

“Please don’t make me drowned.” He pouts.

“We won’t make you drowned,” Ororo promises. “Okay, dear?”

He finally nods.

 

The smell of shitty cafeteria food enters the room a second before the nurse walks back in. “Here we are!” She chirps. “Daddy, could you pull that tray over?”

I help her arrange the platform over his bed so she can put her red tray down.  
  
“Here’s your syrup.” She passes him a small plastic container. “Better yet,” she takes it back and passes it to me. “That should do it.”

“I can put my own syrup on.” he says indignantly.

“I bet you can.” The nurse smiles. “But it would be faster if your daddy did it.”

He frowns, causing her to chuckle as she exits.

I open the container of syrup and put it on the tray. “This is for dip-“

“I know.” He cuts me off. “French toast is my favorite.”

“I know it is.” It’s his favorite since we came to the states.

The babysitter used to cook these pancakes in Japan. I don’t know what they were called. He misses them, though. I’ve never been able to recreate them.

The tray has french toast sticks, the right sized for dunking, a few strips of shitty bacon, and the dreaded apple. On the side, there’s another sippy cup. A fight I hate having with him.

Ororo pops her back and runs a hand through her hair. “That has got to be the most uncomfortable couch I have ever laid on.”

“You could have the chair if you want…” I tease, knowing she won’t take it.  
  
“I’d rather sleep on the floor.” She chuckles.

We thought Aki and Laura would like it better if Ro was here. They really like her. And… well two of them in a hospital by myself?  
Ro had to pull Laura out of the elevators yesterday. She as ‘playing’ with the other patients.

“You could sleep in my bed, Ro Ro.” Aki offers. “I don’t mind sleeping with Laura.”

“Your beds a little small for me.” Ro smiles.  
  
“But you’re a lot skinnier than daddy is.” He says, taking a bite of his syrup covered french toast.  
  
“Hey now-“ 

“It’s true!” He insists, licking some syrup off his hands.  
  
“You’re… you’re making a mess buddy.” I walk back over to him. “Don’t dip your entire hand in the syrup.”  
  
“I know how to eat, daddy.” he holds his sticky hand up. “I promise.”

“Then why are you all sticky?”  
  
He frowns. “I’m not.”  
  
“You’re not sticky?”  
  
He shakes his head. “I’m … syrupy.”

“That’s sticky.” I sigh. “And now you definitely have to take a bath.”

He shrugs and eats his extremely sloppy meal while Ro and I try to discuss our plan for the day.

“Doctor’s should be taking a look at his legs… that’s the only thing holding us up.”

“That’s wonderful.” She’s frowning, though. “But how are you going to get him to the car to leave?”  
  
Here’s the thing about Aki. There was an incident in Japan. He got hurt. he recovered well enough- physically anyway. It just made him… scared. That’s a good way to put it.  
  
One of Aki’s greatest fears… is outside.

Hank calls it ‘agoraphobia’.

He’s fine with looking outside or even having window’s open (barely) but he cannot for any length of time- go outside.

“You pull the car around… I’ll wrap him up…”

“It’s a long drive.” He doesn’t like cars either. Because of all the windows.  
  
“I’ll sit in the back with him.” I try to problem solve. “Maybe get him to go to sleep?”

“No that won’t work,” she says quietly. “I brought my car. Between the car seat and Laura, you won’t fit back there. And Laura’s still too young to sit up front.”

Well fuck.

“I guess we just leave it to where he can cover his head with the blanket.”  
  
This wouldn’t be a problem if we were using one of the ‘x-vans.'. Tinted windows.

“You could give him sunglasses.” Laura pipes in from the couch.

“That’s a very good idea.” Ro praises. It’s not but hey- kids.

“I’m sticky now,” Aki announces. “Very sticky.”

“Okay. I’ll call the nurse and see if we can get you unhooked.” I turn to Laura. “After he’s had a bath- you gotta take one too, okay?”  
  
She frowns. “No. But I’ll do it anyway.” 

“That’s my girl.” I reach behind Aki to the call button and push it, careful not to show him exactly where it is back there. He made a grab for it yesterday. He wanted to ask nurse Samantha about her dogs. I had to tell him that we don’t push the button unless we need something. Of course, he argued that he needed to know about her dogs after that. But it was an easy argument.

The nurse arrives pretty quickly. “Oh, my.” She says when she comes in view of the bed. “Sweetie you’re covered in syrup!”

“Nurse Samantha,” he says, “Can I be unhooked from my robots so I can take a bath? Daddy says I have to.”

The woman laughs. “Of course sweetie.” she nods to the machines. “The doctor was about to come talk to you about that anyway.”  
  
“He was?”  
  
“Mm-hmm.” she grins at him. “We’re gonna check your legs… but if they’re okay, the doctor wants to see if you can go home today!”  
  
“Go home??” he sounds excited.

“That’s right!” she says cheerfully. “You’re gonna be all better in a couple of days and you don’t need the hospital anymore!”

“I don’t??” He grins wide. “Daddy- we can go home!”

“IF your legs are better.” She puts emphasis on the ‘if’. “Can you wait for your bath until after the doctor comes and checks on you?”

He nods.  
“Okay.” She looks at me and Ro. “There really shouldn’t be a reason to keep him.” She informs. “He’s healed most of the damage on his own.”

“When did you decide this?”

“When I listened to his heart. And with our last set of x-rays.” She offers a smile. “Relax daddy. He’s gonna by jusssst fine.”  
  
The doctor comes in as she’s moving the tray.  
  
“Well, Mr. Howlett.” he says to him. “It seems that you are ready to go.” He bends down at the waist, over the bed. “Can I take a look at your legs before you go?”  
  
Aki nods, smiling.  
  
The doctor rolls up the pants legs, moving aside the blankets and toys. “Wow, Aki.” He says after a few seconds. “You did really good!”  
  
“I did?”  
  
“You healed so fast!”

“I did?”

“Yep! And… your stitches have to stay in for a few more days… but Daddy told me you live with a doctor. I don’t see why we can’t send you home and have them take them it when it’s time.” He rolls his pants down and turns to me. “Daddy- he is very sticky. So give him a bath and we’ll have the paperwork for you when you come out.”  
  
“That fast?”

The man smiles. “Aki’s friends seem to have kind of taken over the waiting room.”

That’s news to me. “Friends?”

“Several of them.” The doctor says happily. “They wouldn’t let them back in a big group. Maybe it’s best if they wait until we release him entirely.”

“Did Remy show up?” He asks from the bed.

“I'm sorry bud, I don’t know their names or what they look like.”  
  
“He’s with his girlfriend… she’s nice too. You can’t touch her, though. She’s zappy. But it’s okay cuz she gets to wear these really cool gloves! And she has cool hair! She can fly and she’s suppppppper strong and-“

“I saw a lady with white streaks in her hair.” The man offers. “Is that the cool hair you’re talking about?”

“That’s her!” he says happily. “Remy is her boyfriend. But they can’t kiss. If she uses her girl magic he’ll die. So she doesn’t.”

“Girl magic- huh?” The doctor crosses his arms. “You’re an inventive little dude- you know that?”  
  
Aki is beaming.

“We’ll get those papers and his discharge orders.” The doctor says. “Logan, I suggest he take it easy for a couple of days. No strenuous activities or upsets.”

“Upsets?”

“Let’s keep him nice and calm.” The man says with a nod. “He’s been through a lot.”

Aki offers his syrup covered hand to me. “I want that bath now daddy.”

“Lemme unhook you.” The doctor bends over and starts detaching wires. The heart monitor makes a god awful noise before he flips it off. Some other machines are flipped off in the moments that follow.

“Okay, bud.” The doctor crouches down by the bed. “You go get nice and clean and we’ll send you home.” He smiles. “I’d shake your hand but…. it’s sticky.”

“What bout my cast arm?” Aki asks him.  
  
“Cast should stay on for a few more days,” he says. “That good with you?”  
  
Aki nods. “Yea that’s okay.”

“I bet all your friends will love it.” The doctor smiles. He straightens back up. “Would you like for me to tell them that he’s being discharged?”

I can’t believe they’re all here. I mean I understand that we’re trying to induct him into this little family team - but I don’t want them to overwhelm him. That’s a slight possibility, though. Chances are he’ll be so excited to see them that it won’t matter.

“Ya, that’d be great.”

The doctor nods. “I’ll see you all in a little bit.”

When he leaves Ro claps her hands together. “You get to go home, Aki!” she says happily. “You get to sleep in your own bed, and eat your own food, and see all your friends!”

“I’m excited!” He puts his fingers in his mouth and licks some of the syrup.

“Aki, stop.” I chuckle. “You’re not a cat.”

He holds his arms out to me. “Can you pick me up, daddy?”

I nod, leaning over and scooping him into my arms.  
  
“Don’t put your hands anywhere they could get me sticky.”  
  
“Then you’d have to take a bath in the tiny shower.” he giggles.

“Yea, I would.”  
  
Ro follows us into the bathroom, waiting patiently while I undress him.

“Over the drain.” I position him.  
  
Ro makes a small cloud, barely a puff of vapor.

“Make lightening?”

“Not inside dear.” The cloud is gray and hovers over his head. “Ready?”

“Ready.” He smiles, holding his arms up.  
  
She smiles, closing her eyes and the vapor starts to rain. “How’s it work?” he asks, closing his eyes as the water drenches him.

“I take the water from the air and form a cloud,” she explains. “Then I make that cloud rain.”  
  
“With your brain?”  
  
I take some shampoo and work it into his scalp.  
  
“With my brain.” She smiles. “Let me see your hands.” he offers them to her, letting her let them up higher and rub the syrup off.  
  
There’s tacky substance left over from the ‘stickies’ on his chest.  
I rub them off.

Five minutes between the two of us and the cloud, and I’m drying him off with a scratchy bathroom towel.

“I want to wear my skateboard shorts,” he complains when he sees his jeans.  
  
“It’s cold buddy.” I hold them out for him to step into. “Jeans.”  
  
“Shorts.”  
  
“Jeans.” I raise an eyebrow. “Don’t argue with me.”

There’s a knock on the door. “Daddy, the doctors brought his charts. Can we go now?”

“Jeans.” I press to him, opening the door. “Ro, can you get him dressed?”

“Of course.” She smiles. “Now, Aki-“

“Shorts!” I close the door on them.

“Lemme see that chart.” I walk over to the bed and pick up the folder with all of his information. The list of what he was admitted with is daunting.

There are some prescriptions for some painkillers- stuff to make him a little easier to deal with, I’m guessing. His doctor wrote ‘plenty of rest’ in his care tips. Like I’m going to let him do anything BUT rest.

“Aki is feeling better?” Laura comes beside me and looks at the folder.  
  
“Yea.” I smile at her. “I guess he is.”

“I’m glad.” She returns my smile. “I was so scared.”  
  
“Me too, sweetie.” She takes my hand.  
  
“It’s over, though- right daddy?”

I nod. “Yea, it’s over.”

“And we don’t have to worry anymore?”  
  
I nod again. 

“Can you tell that to Nate?” She questions. “He thinks there are soldiers hiding in the pool house.”

I chuckle dryly. “There’s no soldiers in the pool house.”  
  
She nods. “I know that. But Nate’s really worried.”  
  
“I’ll have his daddy talk to him,” I promise. I glance over at her corner of the room. “Better get your stuff together.” I nod in that direction. “When your brother gets out- we’re outta here.”

“Shorts!” I hear through the door. 

“That is if your brother gets out.” I groan, walking in that direction to go deal with him.  
  
Stories have ends of chapters. Not the entire story- just a brief part of it. Aki’s stay in the hospital is at its end. The chapter is at its close.

And honestly, I couldn’t be happier.


	7. There will be moments

When the doctor told us that Aki’s ‘friends’ were here, he didn’t mention just how many there were. I know he said a few but…. The group gathered before us is a little overboard.

Rogue, Remy, Jubilee, Bobby, Jean, Nate, Kitty, and Pete are waiting in a group, trying to look non-imposing.  
 Judging by the looks they’re getting from passers-by- I don’t think it’s working.  
   
Being an x-men means you have to be a little more physically fit than the average person. You work out that hard, you get a good body. You get a good body- people notice.

IT doesn’t help that they’re all showing a little too much… I don’t know.   Jean’s dressed in a sweater that’s a bit too tight, Rogue in a tank top with a leather jacket- that really conceals nothing, Remy’s shirt looks about two sizes too small, Jubes is walking jail bait. Kitty, Peter, and Bobby toned it down, however. I guess we should be grateful for that. Peter shows off too much and people get nervous. He’s a big guy.  
   
The oggling is fine with everyone but Jubes- who’s still underage.  
   
Judging from the scents I’m getting from passersby's as we approach, I don’t think the people much care how old she is.

I’ve got his hand in mine, walking out of the wing towards them. He wouldn’t let me carry him- though I tried. I don’t know what he thinks is gonna happen when he reaches those doors.   I’ve got the blanket strung over my shoulder just in case.

“There he is!” Kitty is the first one to speak. “Look at you!”

He tries to break from my hand, but I hold him still. “No running.”

He pulls again.  
   
“We’ll get there,” I say.

“Daddy…” He groans.

  When we finally get to the group of people, he launches himself into Kitty’s arms. She catches him in a spin, pulling him up into the air.

“I didn’t read my book.” He confesses when his arms are wrapped around her neck.  
   
“That’s okay.” She smiles.

“Pete’s not shiny today.” He points at the large Russian.

“No, little one.” The man laughs. “Not today.”

“Did you finish your painting?”  
   
He nods. “Da. I can show when we get back home.”

“Okay!” He holds onto Kitty tightly.

“You’re a-okay private!” Nate is at Kitty’s side. “So we can move onto to our next stage of the attack.”

“No attacking.” Jean chides. “It’s very good to see you moving, Aki,” she says.

“Daddy won’t let me run.” he pouts, pointing at me.

“That’s okay.” Jean soothes. “It’s only for a few days.”

“Then we make plans!” Nate says happily, tugging on Aki’s shoe as it hangs down, trying to get his attention.

“Oouch Nate.” He whines.  
   
“Let go.” Jean pops his hands. “Aki’s legs are sore.”

“Where the scalpels cut him.” He says with a nod.

Jean frowns. “That’s right.”

“We got all your favorite treats at home.” Rogue takes his little hand in hers, coming behind Kitty. “All of ‘em.”

“Even went to an Asian Market,” Remy says with a nod. “For candy.”

“Yep!” Rogue says. “And we cleaned up your room for you- so you wouldn’t have to for a while.”

“Annnnnd,” Jubilee joins them, “You don’t have to go to class for two whole weeks!”

“Not that class is a bad thing.” Kitty groans. As his teacher, she’s constantly trying to encourage the little ones that class is good.   With all the x-men running around, going on missions and doing training sessions- they’d rather be doing that.

“It’s not.” Jubilee agrees. Over Kitty’s shoulder, where she’s standing, she mouths ‘yes it is’ while shaking her head.

“Jubes is funny.” He points at her.

“She’s a real riot.” Kitty turns her head to look at the girl.  
 Jubilee is a good two years younger than Kitty. Kitty pushing nineteen right now. The two of them are fighting a lot more as they get older.

“The professor said we could ice up the floor in the danger room,” Bobby says from over Jubilee’s shoulder. “So we can skate!”

Aki claps his hands together, the motion being stopped by the cast. He doesn't seem to care. “I wanna be sick more often!”  
   
They all laugh.

“No buddy.” I shake my head. “You won’t be sick for a while now.”

 I still haven’t told him about his healing.

I think Laura may have mentioned something about it- but I don’t think he picked it up.

“Why are you all here?” Aki asks, hand in Kitty’s ponytail.

“To see that you get home safe little guy,” Bobby said.

“And to take out any bad guys who try to hurt you,” Nate adds. “I’m listening to them.” He whispers.

“Nate.” Jean chuckles. “Don’t listen to other people right now.”

“Okay, but we need to get a move on.” He says wisely. “Bobby’s hungry.”

“Hey!” Bobby cries. “Don’t read my mind!”

“I’m sorry.” Nate hides behind his mom.  
   
“‘sokay little dude,” Bobby tells him. “Major violation of the bro code, though.”

“I’m a bro?” Nate asks.

“No.” Kitty glares at Bobby. “You’re not a bro.”

“What?” Bobby laughs. “He can be a bro if he wants.”

“Mom, can I be a bro?”  
   
Jean sighs. “Do you want to be a bro?”  
   
Nate thinks about it. “No, I’d rather be a commander.”

“Then you’re a commander.” she says with a smile.

“Where’s the other half of our troop?” Nate asks Aki.

“She’s with Ro Ro getting the car. They’re gonna pull it up really close to the hospital so I don’t have to be outside.”

That gets a small laugh from the crowd.

“Still scared of outside?” Kitty asks him. “After your great adventure?”

He nods. “I’m sorry.”

“No sweetheart.” Rogue cuts in. “Don’t be sorry. It’s okay to be scared.”  
   
“We’ll keep you safe mon ami.” Remy holds his hand up to the sky. “I promise.”

Kitty puts him down on the floor. “Scott thinks we may have a lead.” She says to me as he starts to play with Nate.  
   
“And you’re here-“

  “Show of force,” Jean says with a nod. “And we wanted to see him.” She smirks. “Have you told him about the healing yet?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“ ‘You healed massive internal injuries in the span of five days’ oughta do it.” Remy grins.

“Not helping, gumbo.” Rogue pushes him out of our little circle.  
   
It doesn’t bother him any. Remy walks around us and starts to play with the boys.

“So you think we’re being watched? Is that what the show of force is about?”  
   
Jean nods. “I know we’re being watched.” She nods to Nate. “He’s been picking up residual chatter. Nothing specific really- and the distance is off. He says they’re in the pool house- but our scans don’t show them on the property.”

“Soldiers?” I cross my arms. “Laura said he heard soldiers.”  
   
Jean nods again. “We’ll have to proceed very carefully.”

The others mumble their agreement.

“Well-“ She leans around me. “Nathan you get off of that statue this instant!”

Nate’s scaled up the side of a decorative globe that sits in a water fountain, he’s at the top waving at people.

“Mom!” He whines when she starts to lift him off the statute and into the air. A few movements of her hand and he’s standing at the foot of the fountain. “I was getting a bird's eye view.”

“Nathan please,” Jean begs the six-year-old. “Please. This isn’t the time for one of your war games.”

“There are no games in war.” he says, pouting.

Ro and Laura walk in the front door from having gotten in the car. “We’re all ready,” she says with a smile. “Aki?” He’s standing by the fountain, dipping his fingers in it.  
   
He glances over when she says his name.  
   
“Are you going to walk to the car or do we need to carry you?”  
   
His eyes land on the door. It’s bright outside. Crisp and cool.

You can see a bit of fear swimming to the surface.

He walks over and takes my hand again.

“I could wrap you up.” I offer, taking the blanket off my shoulder.  
   
He looks at me for a second before nodding.

“Okay, buddy.” I drape the blanket over his head and shoulders, creating a hood he can pull down at any time. When that’s down I pick him up and let him wrap his arms around my neck. “Good to go?” I’m careful where I support his back, taking the legs into account.

“I’m ready.” He nods.   We all make our way to Ro’s car.  
   
Aki starts to tremble when we pass the doors.  
   
“Just gonna go to the car.” I soothe. “We’re almost there.”

Ro unlocks the door and opens it for me.

His car seat, in all its bulk, is sitting behind the passenger’s seat. I sit him down in it carefully and go about buckling him in. “Laura?” I call behind me.

“Yes?”  
   
“Go around and get in your seat darlin',” I say without looking back.

She’s climbing in a second later.

I position Aki’s blankets so he can cover his face and head if he wants to.   I know logically this doesn’t do anything to stop him from being outside- but it works for some reason.

“All buckled up?” He asks. He’s got his eyes shut tight.

“All buckled up.” I nod. “You want your hood up?”  
   
He nods.  
   
Laura reaches over and pulls his ‘hood’ over his eyes and face, just leaving his mouth uncovered.  
   
When I back up, I notice Nate standing close to the car. “You wanna say bye?” I ask him.

  He nods. “I need to raise the morale of the troop.”  
   
Jean groans. “Make it quick, Nate. We all need to get on the road.”

Nate leans in the car. “You’re good to go, private.” He says with a nod. “Just remember- we have to plan a counterstrike. Brainstorm on it. I want ideas ASAP.”

Aki nods, putting one of his fingers in his mouth.  
   
“Don’t suck on your fingers, buddy.” I remind him. I’m sure it won't be the only time I have to. It’s a habit he has when he’s nervous.  

“Laura- I want your view on things on my desk at o’eight hundred.”

“You don’t know army time Nate.” I laugh.   

The boy frowns and me. “It’s not army time. It’s troop time. We borrowed it and made it better.”  
   
The kids a trip.

“Nate, we need to go now.” Jean takes his hand. “Come on.”

“Okay, mom.” He nods to the kids. “Think about it.”

“Everyone good back here?” I drop Aki’s bag at his feet.

  “Wait!” He holds his hand towards the door. “We left Dragon!”

“No, we didn't.” I shush. “He’s right here.” I dig through the bag and retrieve the toy, passing it to him.  
   
I can’t see his expression because of the blanket but he sounds happy enough.   As happy as he can be for a car ride.

“I’m gonna close the door now.”  
   
“Bye Aki!” Kitty calls from the curb.  
   
“We’ll see you at home!” Jean adds, waving.

“I promise not to eat too much of your candy!” Nate says, holding his hand up to the sky. “I swear.”

That makes me chuckle. All of them being there means they probably took the jet. Since this place has a helipad, I’m guessing it’s not too far from here.

“You wanna wave goodbye?” I ask him.  
   
He waves in their general direction, not able to see through the blanket.  
   
“That’ll do it.” I close the door and watch the group in front of me.

“So you’re all gonna spoil him until he turns into a little monster- huh?” I cross my arms.

“I got spoiled too!” Nate says. “I got all new soldiers, and walkie talkies and those candy bars daddy stashes in the closet so mommy doesn’t know he eats them!”

Jean chuckles.   “OH,” Nate adds. “And I don’t have class.”

Kitty groans. “Classes for the young kids will resume in two weeks.”  
   
Nate get’s to stay until second grade. Laura’s already been moved up to the older classrooms.  
   
There’s honestly not a lot of young mutants. Most x-genes kick in when kids are teenagers.   However, if they’re from a mutant parent- there’s a chance they’ll be a little… early.

“Oh!” Nate says again. “Mommy- can I give Aki the book?”  
   
Jean frowns. “We forgot the book.”  
   
“It’s a fish book!” he says. “For kids!”

Jean smiles radiantly. “I thought it would help.”

“Thanks.”  
   
Jean and I almost had a thing. Once upon a forever ago. Almost.

But I left. And when I left, I met Itsu. When I came back with her, Jean and Scott had a kid. And that was that. Book closed. Never to be reopened.  
   
Doesn’t mean Ro doesn’t get curious sometimes. She trusts us, of course. But she lets her mind wander.

Ro puts her hand on my shoulder. “Dear, it’s time to go.” She whispers.

“Okay.” I nod to them. “We’ll see you back at the house.”

“We took the jet!” Nate informs. “We’ll get there before you.”

I chuckle. “That’s okay. We don’t mind driving.” But damn is it a long drive. It’ll be late by the time we get there.

Honestly, I didn’t think of the effect this long trip would have on him. I’m kinda rethinking it, to be honest-

“If you wanted,” Jean says, interrupting my thoughts, “With the long trip being in mind- One of us could ride with Ororo… for company and you and the kids could ride back in the jet.”  
   
I look to Ro who smiles. “That’s a wonderful idea, Logan.” She nudges my shoulders. “Aki would be back at home in no time. “

“I’ll ride with Ororo.” Rogue offers. “I could use a little time outta the jet.”

“Hmmm.. mind if I join you?” Remy practically purrs.   Rogue grins. “Only if you stay in the back.”

 “Preferably in the car seat.” Ororo teases.   

“That’s low,” Remy tells the women. “That’s really low, y’all. Teamin' up on me like that.”

I look to the car to see Laura’s head turned in our direction- listening.

“I’ll tell the kids-“

  Nate runs back to the car. “You’re gonna ride in the jet!” He pounds on Aki’s window and yells through the glass.  
   
“That takes care of that.” I chuckle.

  Jean groans. “Nathan.”

Aki peeks out from under his blanket.

  “Jet parked on top of the building?”  
   
Peter nods. “And taking up space,” he adds. “If we are going to leave, I suggest we do it quickly.”

“Right.” Kitty turns around. "Bobby and Jubilee already headed in that direction.”

Laura is the first kid out of the car. She walks back over to the sidewalk with a smile. “I didn’t want to ride in the car.” She confesses. “But I wanted to stay with Aki.”

“Well, both of you can ride in the jet now,” Jean says sweetly.

“And we,” Rogue points between herself and Remy, “Will be joining you.” She nods to Ro. “For whatever good having Remy in a car will do you.”

“I’m excellent in the car,” Remy says.

“As long as he doesn’t pick the music.” Rogue grins.

“Like you’re any better.” he snorts. “You can only listen to Miranda Lambert so many times, Cher.”

“It’s good-“   

“Angry female music.”  
   
“Watch it,” Jean growls.

Remy holds his hands up. “Easy y’all. Don’t get all upset. Just makin’ an observation.”  
   
“I will be picking the music,” Ro says. “And no one will say anything about it.”  
   
Remy and Rogue nod.  
   
“Thank you.” Ro smiles. “The company is much appreciated. The bickering not so much.” She leans in and kisses me briefly. “Meet back up at the house in… oh, 8 hours or so?”

“Drive safe.” I grin, watching Remy and Rogue fight over the front seat.

  “I wasn’t kidding,” Rogue says. “You’re riding in the back.”

“Cher-“

  “In the back.” She points.

“Lemme get Aki’s out of his car seat.” I hold my hands up and walk in between them. “Innocent bystander. Soon to have a child.”  
   
Remy snorts. “Bystander- yes. Innocent? No.”

“Go around the other side.” Rogue points again.

“Petite I will put you on my damn lap.” he shakes his head and crosses his arms. “I’m taller than you. My legs will get all cramped.”

“There’s room to stretch out back there.” Rogue points.

“Come on Aki,” I say, opening the door to find him covered up more securely. “What’s wrong buddy?” I lift the corner of the blanket, barely uncovering him.

“You're letting the outside in!” He hisses.

“We’ve got to go to the roof.” I squat down in the doorway of the car. “We’ll be inside for most of it.”

“Can’t I stay with Ro Ro?”

I weigh it out but… “No buddy. You’re gonna need your rest.”  
   
“I can sleep in the car!”  
   
“Remy and I are just gonna be all coupley the whole way,” Rogue says, smiling. “We’re gonna hold hands, and talk sweet to each other, and maybe even-“   

“Yuck!” He kicks his leg free of his blanket. “Unbuckle me!” He tries to mess with the unlock button but can’t through the blanket.

He squirms impatiently.   Really for a four-year-old…. he’s behaved more than to be expected.  
   
Really. I’m proud of him.   However, it’s been a few days, he’s doing something he doesn’t like doing, and he’s still hurting. His willingness to cooperate is reaching its end.

“Hold still buddy,” I say. “I can’t get you unbuckled if you kick me.”  
   
He goes still.

The thing about being a parent is this- first, they can’t move. You put them in a carrier, it buckles into a base thing in the back of the car, you turn ‘em around backward, it’s all good. Then they start to move. Not only do they start to move, they start to grow. So you gotta put ‘em in a car seat. And then... there are the buckles.   I’ve handled bombs, grenades, guns, alien tech… but I can’t work the damn car seat.

“Daddy- can you cover me back up?” He asks as I pull him out onto the sidewalk.  
   
“Sure thing buddy.”

I wrap him up again, taking his hand, Dragon included and walking him over to our collected group.  
   
“Now get in.” Rogue is smiling.  
   
“Ya think you’re cute, but you’re bein’ ugly,” Remy says.

“Oh, you’re callin’ me ugly now?”

“Aki’s a ghost!” Nate points.  
   
Laura walks over to us and takes his other hand, finding it hard to do with his cast.

“Aki’s cast is in the way.” she mumbles.

“My arms still broked.” He lifts it up, making it barely visible under his sheet.

“Your broken arm will heal.” Kitty puts an emphasis on ‘broken’.

“The bad man snapped it with his hands,” Nate says.

“Nate.” Aki hisses.

“Mom said it was okay to talk about him.” he says defensively.

“The bad man isn’t going to come back, Aki.” Jean bends at the waist, coming down to his level. Of course, with the blanket over his head- he can’t see her.

“He’s gonna take my heart out,” Aki says quietly.

“No, he’s not buddy.” I lean down and pick him up, taking him from Laura. “You’ve got nothing to worry about,” I say by his ear. “Nothing at all.”

“Until he’s six,” Nate says.

“Hmm?” I turn to the boy.

“Six,” Nate says with a nod. “The big man will come back when he’s six.”

As a collective, the adults stare at him.

“And Laura will be ten.” He continues. “And I’ll be eight.”

“Nate, sweetie, what are you talking about?” Jean asks.

“The big man.” Nate says. “he’s going to come back when we’re older. But not for me- he’s gonna give me to the white man. The big man only wants to come back for Laura and Aki.”

“Nate- what are you talking about?”

  The boy takes his mom’s hand. “He said it was cuz they were Hudsons.”

“Hudsons?” Jean frowns. “What’s that mean?”

“It’s my mom’s maiden name.” I have to admit I’m spooked. “Aki- did the big man say that?”  
   
He nods, through his blanket. “He said we have to be weapon x. And that we couldn’t live with you anymore.” He buries his head in my shoulder. “But we weren’t supposed to tell you or he’d come get us sooner and put us in a room with no windows.”

“A room with no-“ I move the blanket from in front of his face.

“Daddy no!” He cries. “The outside is here!”

“Aki, look at me.” I make sure he’s watching. “What did the big man look like?”

He shrugs, trying to pull the blanket down.

“No Aki, seriously. What did he look like?”

“He was big.” Aki mumbles. “With long hair. And he heard real good- like me. He had sharp teeth- like a dog. And long claws- like you and Laura. He said I was like my uncle.” He pauses. “I didn’t know I had an uncle, daddy.”

“You don’t.” I frown.

  “Logan- do you think this is someone-“

  “I do.” I look at the quiet group. “I gotta make some calls.”  
   
That sounds like an old foe of mine. One who’s made my life- fuck my families lives- miserable.  
   
We pegged Sinister. He’s got this hard on for Jean and Scott- more so Scott. He’s been ‘observing’ since Slim was a kid. When he got with Jean- Sinister was convinced they should conceive. Hence the clone.   Hence Nate.   Nate doesn’t know that, though.  
 They said he had to be born in someone else's ‘tummy’ because Jean was ‘sick’.”

By ‘sick’ they mean ‘dead’. But that’s another story.

“Logan this sounds a lot like you know who,” Ro says quietly.

The who we don’t talk about. That I told her about under extreme duress.

“You know who?” Kitty asks.

  “Voldemort!!? “ Nate gasps. “Mommy you said Harry Potter wasn’t real!”

“Not Voldemort, Nate,” I say quickly. “But a bad guy.”

“I wanna put my hood back down.” Aki whines. “You’re letting the outside in.”

“Aki,” I question. “What did the big man sound like?”

“Funny.”  
   
“Really funny,” Laura adds. “He sounded like people in Japan- but not all the way.”

Because the other accent is European.   Fuck me.

“The big man was old,” Nate says. “His brain was old.”

“His brain was old?” Jean asks.  
   
“I saw battles.” The kid nods. “Before he made me stop.”  
   
“Battles?”

“With swords. And Soldiers like in 300.”

“Bobby?” Jean asks, crossing her arms.

  “No- dad.”

  “Scott.” Jean groans. “I’ve told him a thousand times to make sure Nate’s really asleep before watching movies.”

In his defense, Nate has a habit of dulling his dad’s sense (making his brain fuzzy) so that he doesn’t know he’s there.  
   
It’s a good thing Slim’s not into porn. Who knows what the kid would have seen.

“Maybe we should discuss it later?” Peter offers. “We need to go.”

“Have the three of them sit down with Charles,” Jean says. “He’ll be able to put faces to the names.”

Aki shakes his head. “The big man had a funny name, daddy.” He pulls the blanket down more securely.

“Yea?”  
   
“And he wouldn’t call me ‘Aki’ or even “Akihiro’.”

“oh?”  
   
“Take him to the jet, Logan,” Ro says. “It feels too open to be having this conversation."   She’s got a point.  
   
“You gonna be okay?” I ask her.

  She nods. “I have a lot to think about. When I get home, I’m sure I’ll have something worth talking about.”

“We got some idea’s too,” Remy says with a nod.  
   
“Great.” Jean smiles a tightlipped smile. “Let’s get the kids back home.” She puts her hand on Nate’s shoulder.

 We all start moving. Ro, Remy, and Rogue staying behind at the car.

“Can we not talk about the bad man?” Nate asks. “Are we too open?”  
   
“You’re fine.” I look to Aki. “What’d he call you buddy?”

“He called me another name.” He nods under his blanket. “I don’t like it, daddy.”

“What’d he call you?”

“I don’t like what it means.”

“What’d he call you buddy?”

“I don't like it.” He sounds like he’s tearing up.  
   
“He called him a doggie.” Nate has hold of Jean’s hand, doing a half little jump every now and then. “They called me Nathan- like I was in trouble.” he frowns. “They didn’t use Rachel’s name either. They called her ‘useless’.”

“He called you a doggie?” I try to pry.

“Like a mutt,” Laura adds. “He said Aki had mixed up blood.”

“Mixed up blood?”  
   
“Ya know.” Nate continues to jump at the end of Jean’s hold. “Because Aki’s not white.”  
   
“Nathan!” Jean gasps.  
   
“What?? He’s not!”

Aki doesn’t say anything.

“Nate that’s not a very nice way to put that.” Kitty tries to intervene.

“Right.” Peter backs her up. “Perhaps there’s another way you could try phrasing it?”

“No. There’s not,” he says defensively. “I’m white- like mommy and daddy. Ro Ro’s got dark skin- cause she comes from somewhere else. And Aki is Japanese AND white. But not White.” He pauses. “Aki’s two. Because his mom was from Japan.” He pauses again. “He’s like Betsy and Jubes.”

“Ro Ro comes from Africa,” Aki says. “That’s why she talks different.”

“Right.” I nod.  
 “Mommy comes from America,” Nate says. “Like Daddy.”

“Daddy is white but not American,” Laura says. “He’s from Canada. I come from there too.”

“Peter is from Russia.” Aki pipes in.

“That’s right, little ones,” Pete says.  
   
“So he talks another language,” Nate says.  
   
“I do.” Peter agrees. “I had to learn English.”

Nate nods.

Aki’s breathing is off. I think he may be a little upset.

“Remy talks funny- but he’s American,” Nate adds.  
   
“Remy’s cajun.” I try to explain.   I don’t know where this impromptu talk about race and nationality comes from, but it’s best to make sure it stays in the ‘nonoffensive’ category.

“He talks in another language.”

“That’s french.” A cajun version.

“Rogue is from Mississippi.”  
   
“And Betsy’s from England,” Laura recalls.

  “But we all live together,” Nate says. “I like it that way.”

“That’s good, Nate. It’s good to like people regardless of where they come from or what color their skin is.” Jean says. “It’s our differences that make us special.”

“Like how I can move stuff with my brain but Laura gets points.”  
   
“Exactly.” Jean nods. “It’s important to be open minded.”

“Daddy wasn’t open minded when Northstar brought that guy home.”  
   
Jean’s blushing.   “Yea- he should work on that.” I can’t help but laugh. He was a little blindsided.

We’re all quiet.

Aki wraps his cast arm around my neck. “Please don’t change my name, daddy,” he begs suddenly. “I like my name. I’ve been Aki since I was born. I can almost spell the whole thing! I know it has little ‘i’s’ and a little h and a little k…. Mommy gave it to me. Like Dragon. I don’t have a lot of things that mommy gave me. ”

“Mommy did give it to you.” I smile. “And you can keep it forever.” I kiss his head through the blankets.  
   
“The big man said I was gonna be like him.”

“You’re not, buddy,” I promise you that. He’ll never get his claws in you. Or on you. I’ve taken him out before. Maybe this time a little more permanently.  
   
Laura reaches over and takes my hand. “He called me a funny name too.”

“Yea?”

We’re walking as quickly as possible, making our way to the roof.

“It was just a letter.”

“And a number,” Nate adds. “Why does Laura get a number in her nickname?”

“That’s a bad name for her,” Aki says. “I don’t like it.”  
   
“It’s what I was called before my mommy named me,” Laura says. “I didn’t have a name.”

“You didn’t have a name???” Nate sounds floored.  
   
She shakes her head. “I had that name.”

“I’ve never been called ‘doggie’ though,” Aki says.

Mutt? Doggie?

“I don’t think I’m a dog,” he says. “I feel like a boy.”

“You are a boy,” Kitty says. “A very special boy. We all love you very much.”

There are a few mumbled agreements.

“I love him the most,” Laura says. “Even more than daddy.”

I have to laugh. “I don’t think that’s possible, sweetheart.”

“I love him as a good soldier. He can get the best cookies.” Nate says with a nod.  
   
“And me?” Laura asks.  
   
“We love you too,” Kitty adds. “All of you. You’re special kids.”

“X-babies,” Nate says with a nod. “Though only Rachel is a baby.”  
   
“That’s right Nate.” Jean agrees.  
   
“We’re gonna be the best x-men.” Nate continues. “I’ll lead my troops to victory.”

“I’m sure you will sweetheart.”  
   
They coined that ‘ x- babies’ nickname when they first started hanging out. They heard some of the older student’s use it.  
   
“Even better than daddy and uncle Alex.”  
   
“Even better?”  
   
“Way better.” Nate talks with his free hand, waving it around in the air. “We’ll do five danger room sessions a day!”

“Five a day???” Jean gasps. “The x-men revolted over three,”  
   
I remember that day fondly.

“And we’ll eat only cookies! No healthy stuff!”  
   
“You’ll have cavities,” Jean warns.   

“Not if we fix our teeth with metal! So they don’t fall out!”  
   
Scott’s got several false teeth. Not metal, more like dental implants. He takes a beating.

“Metal teeth?” Aki sounds unsure.

“Metal teeth.” Nate nods. “And metal arms. And legs! Metal everything!” He does another jump, this time kicking off of the wall.  
   
“Sounds like you’ve got big plans, Nate,” Peter says with a chuckle.

  “And we’ll keep all the old x-men around to take care of them,” Nate says with a nod. “So mommy and daddy can live with me when I’m big.”  
   
It’s cute that the kids are still in that ‘love my parent’s’ stage. I know, from watching other people’s kids over the years- that this shit doesn’t last.  
   
“Daddy will still be an x-men when we’re big,” Aki says. “He’s gonna live forever!”  
   
I laugh dryly. “You think so bud?”  
   
Aki nods through his blankets.   I listen for a second.   “Are you sucking on your fingers again?”

The sound I was hearing stops. "Sorry."

"You don't have to be nervous, Aki," I promise him. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Becuase you're gonna take care of it?"

"Right." I nod.

"Cuz daddy's the best there is and what he does," Laura says with a grin.

"That's right." I smile.

When we make it to the roof, it feels like we’ve been walking for hours.  
   
We load the kids up without much fuss.   It feels good to be in something familiar. Even if it is just the jet. That means this is over. With all that’s coming into light- at least I can look at this hospital and know that I will never have to see him like this again.

It’s enough to put a smile on my face.

Kitty taps my shoulder, getting my attention. “We’re gonna have to close the ramp…” She motions to where I’m standing. “Can’t do it with you standing there.”

I nod.

“You did good daddy.” She punches my shoulder.   

“Thanks, Sprite.”

She nods, walking up into the jet and taking her usual seat.

Right now feels good. I know there are moments that are going to feel terrible, I know, but right now? I want to bask in this one.   Yea. Seems like a plan for now.  
 Not a good one- but it’s something.


	8. There will be foreshadowing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can't really claim 'smut' in this chapter because it's pg. Well maybe a very soft PG 13. Anyway yeah- a little bit of sexy times. Thanks for reading!

“Nu-uh.” he mumbles, weakly pushing at my arm.

“Shhh.” I keep my hand on his back, patting it as I carry him up the stairs.  
  
“Cold,” he mumbles again. “Nu-uh.”

I get to his bedroom, giving the door a light kick to get it open.

“Nu-uh.” He repeats. “Not sleepy.”  
  
His voice says otherwise.

“‘sokay buddy,” I whisper, laying him down in his little bed. “Daddy’s got ya.”

“Daddy?” he asks, voice sleep filled and dazed.

“Yea buddy?”

“Dragon,” he says sleepily, throwing his hand over the bed.  
  
“Right here buddy.” I tuck the fish in beside him.

“And Frank, Peter, Noel, and Sammy.”

“Got ‘em all.” They line the side of his headboard. Aki’s bed has railing on one side still. Mainly because when I tried to remove it- it got stuck and Ro wouldn’t let me hack his bed to pieces.  
  
Aki insists it stay that way so he has a ‘shelf back’ for his toys- to make sure they stay put at night.

I leave him on the bed and go to his dresser, picking out some night clothes at random.

“Hot.” He kicks the blankets that aren’t currently covering him.

“You’re not covered up yet.”  
  
I walk back over to him.  
  
“Hot.” He insists. “Too hot for bed.”

“You’re sleepy.” I insist.  
  
“Sleep with Ro Ro?” he asks with a yawn.  
  
“No buddy. You’re sleeping in your bed tonight.”  
  
“Can Ro Ro sleep with me?”

Not that it matters much to me- but if he had his way, Ro and I would be hitched by now. He loves her to death.

“She’s not here buddy.”

I pull his jeans off and slide him into a pair of pajama shorts. After that, I slide his socks off, tossing them to the edge of the bed.

“Where’s she at?”  
  
Ro tucks him in at night with me.  
  
He feels safe with her in the house.

“She’s still driving,” I answer. “Gimme your shirt.”

“When will she be here?” He doesn’t move to help me.

“Not til a little while later.”  
  
He frowns.  
  
“Shh, buddy.” I stop the oncoming protest. “You’ll see Ro Ro in the morning. She wants to spend the day with you while daddy goes and handles some things.”

IE me and Fury are gonna have a sit down chat. I got him to agree to come to a bar. It shouldn't be this easy to contact the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. as it is. Or so easy to get him to agree to meet me. I could have easily been a shapeshifter trying to gain access to him.

“Oh yay!” He says groggily. “We’ll watch cartoons and play in her room with her plants and-“ 

“Yep.” I cut him off. “Now shh. Calm down.”

He’s been awake, playing with the other kids. Seven rolled around and he started to drag. By eight, he was completely passed out on the couch. It’s nine now. Way past his bedtime.

“Where’s Laura?”  
  
“Brushing her teeth.”

I change his t-shirt. Some Disney cartoon characters. I think it’s something about cars.

“Can’t sleep without Laura.” He crosses his arms.  
  
“She’s coming.” I nudge him up the bed into the correct position. “Scoot up.”  
  
I get him laid back on his pillows, rearranging all his toys around him.

“You’re good to go.” I lean down and kiss his head. “Good night buddy.”

“‘Nite daddy.”

“I’ll be down in the living room if you need anything.”

‘Kay.”

“Kay. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He mumbles, snuggling into his pillow. “Will you tell Ro Ro I love her too?” 

That… is news. He’s never said that before.  
  
“Yea buddy.” I nod. “I’ll tell her.”

I get back to my feet and go down the hall.  
  
The hallway is bright, the lights overhead blaring and bouncing off the wooden floors. I walk up the hallway to the bathroom I left Laura in. Inside there’s no movement. Definitely no teeth brushing.  
  
“You okay in there?” I knock on the bathroom door. “I don’t hear any water running.”

She’s quiet.  
  
“Sweetie?”

“Daddy?”

“Yea?”

“I dropped my toothbrush in the toilet.” She calls.

“You did what?”

That honestly I was not expecting. Laura cracks the door just enough to peer out. “I dropped my toothbrush in the toilet.” She repeats. “Don’t be mad.”  
  
“How’d you do that?” I’m not sure if I really have the grounds to be angry. If it’s in the toilet she either did it on purpose or had one hell of an accident.

“It slipped!”  
  
“Why were you brushing your teeth by the toilet?”

So it’s probably not on purpose.  
  
She usually stays at the sink and looks at her reflection in the mirror.  
  
“To make sure no snakes came up the drain,” she says simply. “I thought I heard one.”

“Snakes…. in the toilet?”

“Bobby was watching TV and snake came up the toilet drain.” She opens the door all the way.

Bobby.. I swear to god I’m going to strangle the kid. “Yea well that doesn’t happen in New York sweetie.” I lean against the door frame. “Besides, snakes are cold blooded. It’s too cold for them to be out and about.”

She frowns. “Are you sure?”

I sigh. “Yea sweetheart, I’m sure.”

I’m over a hundred years old. I think I know enough to know a snake is not gonna crawl up a toilet in New York in the middle of January.  
But kids don’t care about that logic shit.  
  
“What do we do about the toothbrush?” She asks, crossing her arms over her x-men t-shirt.

I look over her shoulder seeing the toilet lid lifted.  
  
“You didn't put that in your mouth- did you?”  
  
She shakes her head. “No daddy.”  
  
“ Okay.” I nod “We’ll go out tomorrow and get a new one.”  
  
She nods. “That sounds good.”  
  
“Okay then.” I motion to the hallway. “You gonna go to bed now?”

She nods, walking past me. I follow her back into the room and watch her crawl into bed. Laura doesn’t sleep with stuffed animals- but she has a book and a flashlight she uses every night.

I bend down and kiss her forehead. “Goodnight sweetheart.”

“Goodnight daddy.”  
  
“I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nods. “I will make sure nothing takes Aki while he’s sleeping.”  
  
That’s… weird.  
  
“Don’t worry about that sweetie. Just go to sleep.”  
  
She frowns. “But what if the bad man comes back?”

“He won’t,” I promise. “You want the door open or shut?”

She thinks about it for a second. “Leave it open?”  
  
“Sure.”I go to the door. “Go to sleep okay?”  
  
She nods. “Okay.”

“Really go to sleep.” I press. “I’m gonna come back and check.”

“Okay.” She repeats.  
  
“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She curls on her side. Her bed is bigger than Aki’s and looks out the window. She likes to look at the backyard while she’s falling asleep.

She took the window back in Japan too.  
  
I think she likes to know she can get away. It makes her feel safe. Laura’s a bit of a runner.  
  
When we came here she was convinced she was going back to Japan on her own. That that was the only place she was safe. It took a while to convince her otherwise.

Leaving the kid’s room is a little hard tonight.  
  
I head back to the living room with a little more weight on my shoulders.

Bobby’s sitting on the couch with his back to the doorway.

I walk over and slap the back of his head.  
  
“OWWWW? What are you doing?”

“Watch what you watch on the damn TV, popsicle,” I growl. “Laura’s worried about snakes in toilets.”  
  
Bobby frowns. “It was on for like a second.”

“Yea!” A little voice cries. Our heads shoot towards the door.

 “Oops.” The voice says with a squeak.

We both turn in the direction of a plant in the corner. It’s particularly shady. Hard to see.

“Nate?” Bobby sounds confused.

Nate’s hiding behind a plant in that shady part.

“I was watching the animals play leap frog.” He points to the animal planet show.

“Oh, that’s great Bobby.” I cross my arms. “Wanna explain that one to Slim?”  
  
“Explain what to me?” Scott walks in the other door, looking at his phone. “And have you seen Nate?”

Nate sinks back behind the plant.

I point to him.

“Nate- don’t hide from me.” Scott sighs.

“I wasn’t hiding!” he complains. “I'm on a stealth mission.”

“Yea? Well, mission aborted soldier.” Scott walks over to the plant and pushes the leaves aside. “It’s time for bed.”

“Aw, Dad. I need to stay awake longer. I haven’t secured the perimeter!”

“Mommy and Charles are doing that as we speak,” he assures. “It’s time for bed.”

 

“Can I check the danger room for spies?” Nate asks, stepping out from his hiding spot.

“No, son.” Scott sighs. “There are no spies in the danger room.”

“But I want to make sure the house is safe!” Nate whines.

“The house is safe, Nate. You did good.” Scott bends down and takes him by the shoulders. “But it’s time to go to bed.”

“Dad,” he says clearly, “There are still troops to command.”

“Your troops are in bed,” Scott says.

“What about the other x-men? Can I put them to bed?”

“Those are my troops.” Scott smiles. “They’ll go to bed when they’re ready.”

“Dad-“

“Nate it’s bed time,” Scott says. “Get your toys, take them to your room, and let’s go to bed.”

Nate grumbles and goes to the doorway, picking up a walkie-talkie, a handful of soldiers, and a bear with a grocery bag attached to it’s back.

“What’s up with the bear?” I point.  
  
“It’s a parachute,” Nate says. “He’s my air support because Ro Ro’s not here.”

“Ro Ro is your air support huh?” Scott smiles.

“Isn’t she yours?”

“Yea, sorta.” Scott agrees. “Got your things?”  
  
Nate nods, arms full.  
  
“Okay. Up the stairs soldier.”

“Sir yes sir.” Nate leaves the room, stopping only to say, “Good night guys! I’ll be awake and 0’ twelve hundred’.”  
  
“That’s not right, Nate.” Scott nudges him with his foot. “Go on.”

“I will be awake at o’ twelve hundred.” Nate is grumbling as they leave.

I watch the Summers ‘men’ retreat up the stairs for a second before sitting down in my chair. I claimed it about seven years ago. Anyone else wants it they can fight me. I’m not above evicting people from it, either.  
  
The living room is the brown couch, the glass table, the large flat screen mounted to the wall, and my chair. Most of the student’s steer clear of this room. It’s been deemed ‘x-men’ only.

It’s where Remy and Rogue curl up and watch reality tv and where I take a nap when the kids are playing. Basically all purpose.

“What are you watching?” I nod to the Tv that’s flipping endlessly.

“Something ‘kid appropriate’.” he snorts.

“Nate’s kicking doors in because of you,” I say pointedly.

“He said it was okay!” Bobby says in exasperation.  
  
“He’s six Bobby. He lies.” I chuckle.

“Yea well-“

“Watch what you’re watching.” I restate. “Slim’s kids are sneaky.”

“Sneaky is one way to put it.”  
  
Really what did they expect? One of the world’s most talented telepaths has kids with a full sized boy scout- what did they think would happen?

“I like to think of it as ‘advanced’.” The new voice makes Bobby jump. I heard her coming in, so I’m not surprised in the slightest.  
“Nate’s been in here.” Jean continues. She’s dressed for bed- baggy clothes, hair up- not the figure of grace at the moment.

“Hid behind a plant.” I watch the Tv flip channels.  
  
She takes a seat beside Bobby. “I’m going to have a glass of wine. Scott’s having some whatever he’s drinking.” She turns her head to me. “Rogue and Remy have joined us. You want to come?”

“No fair.” Bobby groans. “You all get to drink?”

“Jubilee said she’d listen out for the kids.” Jean grins. “With all that’s been happening, I figured we could all use a way to unwind.”

I weigh it out in my head. “Lemme go check on the kids real quick.”

“Of course.” She turns to Bobby. “You’re welcome to join, Bobby.”

“But I can’t drink.” he says.

“If you try to drink underage I will mentally impose the idea that you are a golden retriever.”  
  
“That’s … odd.” I choose my words carefully. 

“Charles said threatening to liquefy people’s minds was ‘too abrasive’.” she smiles. “Ororo called, by the way. She said you weren’t answering your phone.”

Fuck. “It’s-“ 

“Dead again.” Jean nods. “I told her as much.”

I get up from my chair, stretching. “I’ll go check on the kids.” The idea of doing some light drinking ( in their cases) is appealing. Doing it by myself makes me look like an alcoholic. Which I’m not.  
… No matter what Kitty says.

I get back to the kid's room and peek in. They’re both passed out. Happy to be in their own beds, I’m sure.

I go to my room for my whiskey. Opening the door… I’m rendered speechless.

In the best possible of ways.  
  
“You look surprised.” Ro teases, sitting on my bed, naked as the day she was born.

“I can’t have naked women in my bedroom.” I recover quickly. “My lady would be pissed.”

“Oh, so you have a lady.” Ro smiles.

“I have the best lady.” I grin. “Though I have to admit, the view is nice.”

Ro’s body… how to describe it? Let’s just say the term ‘goddess’ is fitting.  
  
Curves that could break your neck. Her mohawk is otherworldly. As in it’s defying normal rules for hair. I’ve never seen one look so feminine before.

She lays back across my bed and stretches her arms over her head.

“When did you get back?”

“About ten minutes ago.” she reaches her hand out to me. “Come join me?”  
  
Like I need another invitation. I’m on top of her in a matter of seconds, shedding clothing as I go.

Ro is vocal. Domineering. Demanding. And overall amazing. I kiss down her neck to her toned abs as she rakes her fingers through my hair.

She smells hot and alive. In all the best possible ways.

“Logan,” She moans. “Mmm.”  
  
I’m the best there is at what I do ... In a lot of things. When you’re as old as I am- you pick up a few tricks.  
I’m kissing her neck again, rubbing against her. For all intents and purposes- she’s good to go.  
  
Suddenly, a scream pierces the air.  
  
Ro and I shoot up at the same time. “Go.” She says quickly. “Logan- go!” She pushes me off of her and onto the floor. “I’ll follow!”  
  
I’m pulling on clothes awkwardly, nearly falling out the door into the hallway.

The screaming is coming from the kid’s room.

And it is spine chilling.  
  
“Aki?” I bust into their room, expecting the worst.

He’s sitting in his closet, hands over his face- screaming.  
  
“Aki-“ I go to him, picking him up. “Aki- baby.” I rock him a little. “Stop screaming.” I shush. “Okay? Stop screaming.”

“I’m scared!” He yells.

“I know sweetie.” 

“Daddy I’m scared!”

“Aki-“

“He’s gonna take my heart out. And take my name away. And turn me into a letter!”

I hear Ro’s feet pad against the wooden floors. “Aki,” She says sweetly. “Would you like us to look in your closet?”

He shakes his head. “The closet is the safe spot.” He points to his bed. “He took Dragon under the bed!”

I lean lower and see Dragon on the floor, just barely under his bed.  
  
“Sweetie, Dragon fell.” Ro comforts.

“He didn’t take him,” I add.

“He’s gonna take Dragon!” he cries. “He’s gonna put him where I can’t find him!” His face is stained with snot and tears.

“Daddy?” Laura murmurs. “Aki is making me scared.”

Ro puts a hand on my shoulder. “Logan,” she says quietly. “he’s making me ‘scared’ too.”

“Buddy,” I say to him. “Listen to me- you gotta reel back your power- okay? You’re making everyone else feel what you’re feeling.”

“I’m too scared.” He sniffs.

Ro picks up Dragon, bringing him behind us and going to her knees. “Don’t be scared, Aki.” ‘Dragon’ says. “I fell off the bed to go swimming.” ‘Dragon’ kisses him on the cheek. “But I’m ready to go back to bed now.”

Aki doesn't feel any less calm. There’s a general anxiety in the air.

“Dragon.” He holds his hand out. Ro passes the toy quickly.

Dragon was one of the toys Itsu bought him. He’s had since he was born. If there’s been a picture taken of him in the last four years- the fish has been with him.

I rock him for a few more minutes- waiting for the fear to wear off. It’s not working. “Aki?” I say in his ear. “Can you try a little harder to control your powers? I know it’s hard.”

“I’m trying.” He hiccups.  
  
“Are you really trying?” I try not to sound accusing.

“I’m really trying.” He shuts his eyes tight. The feeling lessens after a few minutes.

“There’s my boy.” I praise. “You’re so strong.”

“I am strong.” he agrees. “Like Peter.”

“Yup.” I kiss the side of his head. “Can you go back to bed for me?”

He nods. “I think so daddy.”

“Okay.”

“Ro Ro will you look under my bed with your ‘fuzzy hands.”

“Fuzzy hands?”

“The white-hot fuzzy stuff.”

Electricity.  
I nod to her.

She walks over to his bed and observes it for a second.

Her hand's buzz and crackle as she wields a few bolts that are contained within her palms. She drops to her knees and sticks one hand under the bed. Then the other. When she lets the electricity fade, she turns her head, still on the floor, towards Aki. “There’s nothing under here,” she says with a smile.  
  
Aki nods. “Daddy, will you tuck me in again?”

“I’d be happy to.” I get to my feet and carry him back to his bed. “Here we go!” I pull him off my shoulder and lay him down. “Under your blankets,” I order. “I’ll wrap you up so Dragon doesn’t fall again.”  
  
He lets me tuck him and Dragon in. There’s another round of kisses exchanged, both for me and Ro, another hug, then Dragon has to kiss us, then Frank has to kiss Dragon, then Dragon has to kiss all the other toys,then Aki has to kiss Dragon ,And THEN -finally- Aki kisses Dragon a final time and closes his eyes.

I glance over to see Laura asleep.

Ro pats my shoulder. “We should go.” She whispers.

I nod. 

We tiptoe out of the room and gently close the door. exhaling a sigh of relief when he stays asleep.

“Jean and the others are outside.” Ro kisses my cheek. “I thought we’d be done with our business in time to join them.”

“They can’t wait for a while?” I raise an eyebrow.

She smirks. “They could, of course. I just think it rude to not tell them what’s going on.”

“I’m gonna fuck my girlfriend. What else do they need to know?” I snort.

“I suppose-“

“Trust me- they’ll be there.” I smile, going down and opening my door for her. “Madame.”

“You’re too kind.” she laughs, walking past me, a slight sway to her hips.

“Now.” I close the door behind me. “Where were we?”

“Hmmm.” she taps her fingers to her lips. “I think, for the sake of argument- we should start from the beginning.”  
  
That brings another smile to my lips. “If that’s what you want.”  
  
“That is what I want.” We manage to get our clothes off again and get back to business, going as far as to actually start- only to have the door knocked on.

I’m literally inside of her. Whoever is at the door can-

“Daddy?”

Fuck.  
  
I exhale through my nose.

“Logan.” Ro reaches up and touches my face. “We have time, love. If it doesn’t happen tonight-“  
  
“Daddy?”

I pull out and get dressed again -this time in bed clothes.  
  
This ain’t gonna happen tonight. 

“Yea baby?” I open the door. Ro is pulling on her underwear and one of my shirts. It hurts to see her dressed.  
  
Laura and Aki are standing there. Laura with her arms wrapped around Aki, Aki with his fish pressed to his mouth.  
  
“We’re scared.” She looks down, ashamed.

“You’re scared,” I repeat.

She nods. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Don’t be sorry sweetheart.” I push some of her tangled hair out of her face. “How about you sleep with us?”

“Us?”

“Ro is sleeping in here tonight.” I nod.

“Ro Ro’s in here???” Aki pushes past me, running in and jumping on the bed.”Were you scared too?”

“No. I just wanted to lay down with your daddy.”

“And cuddle?”

She smirks. “Yes. I wanted to cuddle.”

“Can you cuddle with us in here or do you want to grownup cuddle?” He whispers the last part.  
  
“Grownup cuddle?” She raises her eyebrows.

“It’s where grownups cuddle without any clothes on.” Aki nods his head. “Like in the movies.”

“What movies?”  
  
“The one’s with the naked lady and the dragons.”

“Bob-“

“Remy.” I interrupt. “He’s been watching “Game of Thrones’.”  
  
“Lotsa naked cuddling.”

“We don’t want to grownup cuddle,” I answer. God is that a lie.  
  
That’s very much all I want to do. I have needs that have got to be met. Soon.  
But.. being a parent means that munchkins come before said needs. Maybe we can catch a quickie in the shower tomorrow morning.

“Ro Ro! We can have a sleepover!” Aki jumps up and down on the bed.

Ro smiles brilliantly. “You’re right Aki- we can.” She claps her hands together. “What do you want to do?”  
  
“How about sleep?” I offer.

Ro sticks her tongue out at me. “How about…. a story?” she offers.

“An x-men story?” Laura lets me lead her into the room. She climbs on the bed a little clumsily.

My room is a wreck. Boots and costumes everywhere. Dirty clothes. A few beer cans. Lessons I’m supposed to be going over. Shit. Shit everywhere.

I kick a pair of boots outta my way as I close the door and walk back to my bed.

“Which x-men story would you like to hear?” Ro asks sitting ‘Indian style’ and taking Aki onto one of her knees. He wastes no time cuddling up closer to her.

My four-year-old is getting more action than I am. That’s how sad this is.

“Tell one with Kitty in it!” Aki says happily.

“And Lockheed,” Laura adds.

“Or- or- Ali!”

“Or Alex!”

“OR Lorna!”

All the x-men stories they’ve heard.

“I know.” Aki claps his hands together- the nose being muffled by his cast on the one hand. “Tell the one about how Professor X made the x-men!”

Laura nods. “Yea. That’s a good one.”

I cross my arms and lean against my dresser. “Yea.” I agree. “That’s a good one.”

Ro goes into a dramatic telling of Chuck and Chuck’s vision. The thing we fight for. How humans and mutants can coexist and be happy together. (kid words here). How everyone who’s different is special in some way. She talks about bravery and self-sacrifice- something most x-men know a little something about by this point. Facing fears and adversity. How you always look after your friends and family- no matter what. And finally that you always, above all else, have to do what’s right. Even if it hurts. Even if no one else is doing it. You have to do the right thing.  
The kids are quiet at the end.

“So we shouldn’t go after the bad man?” Aki asks into the silence. “Even though he’s bad and tried to hurt us?”

“You let the grownups decide that.” Ro fields that perfectly. “That’s a complicated decision. The right thing may not be that clear to you yet.” She smiles, leaning forward and kissing the back of his head. “You just keep doing what you’re doing.” She squeezes Laura, pulling her in tight. “Because you’re both doing exactly what you should.”

“And we’ll be x-men?” Laura asks. “Like you?”  
  
Ro nods, smiling. “You’ll be wonderful x-men.”

And they will. Being an x-man goes beyond what powers you have or even why you came to this place to begin with.  
It’s about doing the best you can for everyone. For me, it’s about making sure these munchkins can grow up in a world that’s different from the one I knew. I want them to go out and do what they want. Who knows? Maybe by the time they’re older- the world won’t need x-men anymore.

I want to take care of the world so I can give it to them.

That’s the only way I can think to tell them.

Ro takes her phone out and texts someone for a few seconds.

“The other’s have gone to bed.” She announces. “I told them the little ones were upset.”

“Ah.” I walk to the bed and pull the blankets back. “Under.” I motion to the kids. The blanket is warm from their body heat and smells like a mixture of me and Ro’s shampoo from her many ‘sleepovers’. Aki climbs off Ro’s lap and crawls under the blankets. Laura goes on his other side, the two of them laying directly in the middle of the bed. Ro lays down on Aki’s side, stroking his hair.

I take Laura’s side, letting her curl into me.

Ro and I stay awake, but the kids drift off pretty much as soon as we turn the lamp off.

In the dark Ro smiles at me. “It’s something else.” She whispers.

“What is?”  
  
“Them.” She looks at the kids. “You. Having them. Raising them.”

“Yea?”  
  
She nods. “You’re so much… more. You’ve always been caring and sweet- but you wear it on your sleeve with them.”

That makes me chuckle. “Yea. I’m just a big ole’ ball of love and compassion.”

She sticks her tongue out. “To your children- yes,” she says.  
  
I reach over their heads and take her hand, kissing her deceivingly dainty knuckles.  
  
Ro can kick my ass. Ro can kick pretty much anyone’s ass.

“I got some of that whiskey….” I nod to the dresser

“Oh?” She grins.  
  
“If you can pull yourself away from Aki….”  
  
Ro carefully sits up, removing herself from the bed with painstakingly slow movements.

I do the same. Neither of the kids moves.

Ro walks over to the wall with the window and lowers herself to her knees. “I don’t suppose you have glasses?”

“Glasses? Who needs glasses?”

“People who aren’t accustomed to drinking liquor straight from the bottle.” She smiles.

I grab the Jack off my dresser and walk over to her. “Yea well suck it up.” I grin.

“Sucking it up.” She holds her hand out for the bottle, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip.

“Don’t drink it like that.” I tease. “You’re barely getting any.”

“I’m trying!” she whispers-shouts.

I take the bottle from her. It’s still mostly full. I take a swig, showing her the proper way to drink from the bottle.

“Impressive.” she says when I pass the bottle back to her. She stares at it for a second before closing her eyes and taking a swig larger than what I took.

I gotta admit I’m impressed.

“Ya tryin’ to get drunk darlin’?”

Ro coughs into her hand. “I shouldn’t have done that.” she chuckles.

“I could go to the kitchen and get you a mixer.” I offer.

She shakes her head before offering her hand to me. “Sit.”

I take the hand and sit down on the floor with my knees pulled up, letting her sit for a minute before yanking her on top of me.

“Logan!” She yelps, before covering her mouth.  
  
We both look to the bed. Aki twitches a little

She leans down and kisses me, slowly. I know we can’t do anything with the kids in here- but fuck.

“Aki and Laura will be asleep for a while….” she smirks. “You want to accompany me to the showers?”

There’s a communal bathroom down the hall. “What about students-“ 

“The children will be in bed.” She pushes aside my worries. “Come join me.” She nods to the whiskey. “Bring the bottle.”

I capture her lips again. “If my lady so wishes.”

She smiles, inches from my face. “I do.”

We get to our feet quietly, looking back over the bed.

“Awh.” Ro coos. “Look at them.”  
  
I edge her into the hallway, pinning her up against the wall.

“They’re adorable.” she continues, catching the handle of my door with the hand closest to it and closing it gently. She’s facing the wall, leaving access to her neck and shoulders- It’d be easier if she wasn’t wearing a shirt. I think we should remedy that.

“Uh hmm.” I put my arms around her waist from behind, nipping at her ear.

“Almost.. makes me want one.” she says breathily.

“Oh, yeah?” I move to her neck.

She moans a little. “I said ‘almost’.” She holds a finger up. “I’m not ready to trade in my body just yet.”

That makes me laugh. “Well thank god for that.” I run my hand up her waist, under the shirt.

“Logan I think we should move this to the showers.”

“Oh, I agree.” I grin.

I move to that junction of her neck and shoulder that she likes so much.

She takes my hand, tugging on it. “Showers.” she orders. “Now.”

Sex is sex is sex. Amazing as it may be- it’s not worth reporting.

My goddess is kind enough to let me ‘grace her with my presence’ for an hour and a half, steaming up the mirrors and hogging the bathroom.

Stories that focus on sex are usually more lustful than this one.  
  
This ain’t lust. This is Monday night. Just a normal, run of the mill, mind blowing encounter.

This story ain’t about sex. That would be a whole different book in of itself.

With Ro? I could write a million books.  
  
This is a slight interlude into the story. A happy little break.  
Good stories have breaks. Happy things. Balance- like I’ve said before.

Ro’s amazing when it comes to balance. She knows when to be tough- she knows when to be gentle. She knows when to be 100% sure of herself and when it’s okay to let some insecurities through. How to be fun, yet serious. How to lead and how to follow.

How to love and how to be loved.  
It’s something that’s taken me a while to learn. Afterall, my track record over the years has been long… but not that impressive.

Ro? She makes it worth every moment I spend with her. If I spent a hundred years- it still wouldn’t be enough.

In a story, there’s this thing called ‘foreshadowing’. When you tell the readers what’s going to happen way before it happens.  
Every relationship I’ve ever gotten involved with has ended horrifically. A lot of them with the woman dying. I’ve made more enemies than I can count over the years.  
I say that to say this- my past does not foreshadow my future. Ro- unlike most of the other women- is able to handle herself to a degree they weren’t. She’s a goddess, a queen, a leader….. a good replacement mother. I don’t know. We’ve talked about it before. A lot. A lot more since I moved to the states.

Aki loves having someone fill the mommy role.  
Laura’s fond of her too.

Ro may not want kids herself- but she as hell took to mine.  
Maybe that’s a bit of foreshadowing right there in of itself.  
Guess that’s one of those ‘wait and see’ kinda moments.


	9. There will be Foils

In a story, there are these things called ‘foils’.

A character that opposes another character. It makes for tension and adversity. All that fun shit.

In real life- you’ll find that there are also foils.  
   
In pretty much everything if you think about it.

She had very little enemies when she was alive. The few she made in her ‘superhero’ career aside- there weren’t many people who didn’t like her.

Me?   I’m not the easiest of people to get along with.   It’s a surprise I have as many friends as I do.   I think it was more of them putting up with me that kinda turned into them kinda liking me. Something like that.  
   
I have several enemies. Dozens. Hundreds even. People I’ve pissed off over my long life.   And honestly? All of those people can go fuck themselves.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” The man sits stone-faced, sipping from his beer bottle.

This man especially at the moment.

We’ve been at this for a total of twenty minutes.   The fucker has dodged every question wonderfully.

“I want you to tell me that it was fucking handled- like you promised,” I growl.

My own beer sits untouched. I think I only got it so it looked like I was here doing something when I got here before him.  
   
For some reason- and I hate him even more for this- I don’t feel like drinking.

You know it’s a sad day when I say that.  
   
Fury frowns, his pale skin looking ashen. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The ‘bad man’ my children are describing is someone you swore to me was dead.”

“Did I?”

“You did.” I snarl.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes- I’m sure.” I could stab him in his good eye.

Fury takes the bottle to his lips again. “Don’t know what you’re talking about Logan I would-“

I slap it out of his hand and onto the floor. “You told me he was dead!” I seethe. “Why isn’t he dead!?”

“Dead is a relative term.” Fury snaps, looking at the broken bottle on the floor. “You owe me a beer.”

“Fuck you!” I stand up from the table. “Really Nick- fuck you!”  
   
“Logan- really.” Fury sighs. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“Nothing?” I turn on him. “He attacked my children.”

“They healed.” Nick holds up a hand to hold off my protests, “It’s horrible that it happened to them- don’t get me wrong- but they healed.”

“My son is four.” I hold up four fingers. “Four. He can’t sleep in his own bed.”

“Is that was this is about? Your kid get’s scared because of your shitty parenting and you want to blame me.”

I’m stunned. “My… what?”

“Fact,” Fury temples is fingers in front of his face. “YOUR son was abducted from YOUR house where YOU were supposed to be watching him. These people were YOUR home for a while. YOUR son was abducted and subsequently tortured because YOU failed to stop them. Because YOU failed to teach him not to go with strangers. Because YOU weren’t there.” Fury raises an eyebrow. “Tell me again how this is MY fault?”

“Because of that man,” I clench my fists. “The one that took them? Is supposed to be dead. You TOLD me he was dead. You SWORE it was handled.”

As far as being a shitty parent… well, that hits a little close to home.   The best way to deal with Fury is to keep him in the dark about the emotional side of things. As is, I may have already tipped my hand.

“It was handled,” Fury says. “And then it wasn’t. You know how these things go.”

“How WHAT things go?” I ask in exasperation.

“Life. Death. Everything in between for you immortal bastards.” He leans across the table. “But hey,” He pats my shoulder. “Kids a healer. Your girl is too. Your little family is safe from any and all harm.”

I grab his wrist and pull him over the table. “Where is he??” I growl in his face.  
   
Fury smirks. “If I knew that.” He shakes himself loose and goes back to his side of the table, “He wouldn’t be walking around now- would he?”

It takes a lot of energy to not take his head off his shoulders. “I want intel.”

“Classified.” Fury reaches over and takes my beer, starting to drink it.

“I want intel,” I repeat.  
   
“Classified.” He raises an eyebrow.

“God damn it, Nick!” I seethe.

“Hey- you can’t just demand documents from the world's biggest intelligence agency. The President can’t even do that.”

“Give me the fucking files Nick, I swear to god.”

He takes the beer back to his lips. “Classified.”  
   
“God damn it!” I slap the bottle out of his hand and grab his collar.

  Fury looks at me with disinterest. “Now you owe BOTH of us a beer.” He shakes himself loose again. “Next rounds on you.” He goes to get up.  
   
“Fury I swear-“ I growl. “I will take your body parts off one by one, inch by inch, bone by bone if you do not give me what I need to keep my family safe.”

Fury pauses. “What do you want me to say, Logan? I can’t tell you anything. There isn’t anything to TELL.” He glares at me. “So are you gonna buy another round or are you going to sulk? Either way, I’m getting a beer.”

I glare him down.   He’s not going to budge.

“I’m going to go looking for this,” I growl finally. “And I will stop what YOU couldn’t.”  
   
He shrugs his shoulders. “Do whatever you feel is best. Just leave me the fuck out of it.”

“I’m gonna figure this out and then I’m going to beat your ass.” I snarl.

Fury nods, walking to the bar. “Guess this rounds on me then.” He says over his shoulder.

I want nothing more than to punch him in the face.  
   
But I don’t. I get my jacket and walk out.   Fuck him. Fuck him and his fucking ‘intelligence agency’ bullshit.

Today’s been excitingly unproductive. I’ve got nothing done.

I walk back to the bike in a foul mood.  
 I drive back to the school in a foul mood.  
 I enter Ro’s indoor greenhouse in a foul mood.  
 Nothing could possibly cheer me up.  
   
“Daddy!”

“Daddy look!”

I stand corrected.

Suddenly there’s a small child wrapped around my leg. “I planted an orchpod!” Aki cries happily. “With a shovel!”

Ro comes behind him, wearing that skirt and tank top combo I like so much. “Orchid.” she chuckles. “You planted and orchid.”

“It’s pretty!” He hangs around my ankles, looking up.

I can’t explain what's going through my head right now.   They’re not safe. Fury won’t give me the intel to make them safe…. how am I supposed to track all these people down and keep an eye on them at the same time? Ro could help of course. The others would be more than happy… but I need to be there.

“I ate blueberries,” Laura says from the other side of the garden, fingers tugging on a large plant’s leaves.   I’m surprised Ro is letting her do that.

“Yea? You like them?”

She doesn’t really eat berries.   “No,” she says.

“She didn’t. It was funny, to say the least.” Ro stands in front of me, hands on her hips. “You look angry. I’m guessing your ‘meeting’ didn’t go as planned?”  
   
I shake my head. “Fury didn’t want to help.”

How much of this conversation can we have in front of the kids?  
   
Fury is sorta a sore topic right now.

“Didn’t want to or couldn’t?” Ro asks.

“Doesn’t matter much at this point,” I say sourly. “There’s no intel.”

Aki grabs my hand, standing up and using it to help him scale up my legs until he’s standing like a flag, feet on my legs and hands wrapped around my arm.

I try to go on talking to Ro, politely ignoring him.   “No intel at all?” she asks.

“Unless Chuck and you know who found anything.”  
   
The kids don’t know that Chuck worked with Magneto to figure some shit out. I don’t think the other x-men are telling them   Of course, it’s going to go horribly and we’ll end up betrayed and fighting for our lives- but hey. Chuck swears up and down that his ‘friend’ is changing.

“If they did- I am unaware of it.” Ro is frowning.

“Daddy!” Aki cries. “Look at me!” He bounces a little on my shins, hurting just a little bit.

“Aki,” I look down at him. “What are you doing son?”

He smiles wide. “I’m climbing!”  
   
He’s in a better mood this morning.

Laura keeps tugging at that plant- I briefly wonder what it is. Ro’s got some ‘exotic’ plants in here. I’d hate for her to get ahold of something that might hurt her. No matter how temporary the effect would be.

“Ro Ro let us eat ice cream for lunch.” Laura joins her brother, looking up at me while he continues to climb up my legs. “I had chocolate and strawberry.”

“I did.” Ro smiles. She mouths 'you’re welcome’ with a smug smile.

“Sick boys get ice cream,” Aki says wisely.  
   
“You were sick?” I look down at him again.  
   
He nods. “I was cry sick.”  
   
“‘Cry sick’?” I look at Ro.

“Cry sick.” She nods. “He wouldn’t stop crying.”

“Why were you crying, buddy?” I put my hand on his back and pull him up straight into my arms.  
   
“I missed you.” He says simply. “I was scared.”

“Aki made the whole floor scared!” Laura says, almost proudly.

“He did what?”  
   
That’s a bit of a feat for a four-year-old to pull off.

  Ro nods. “Everyone who came into the room.” she reaches up and strokes his hair. “Grownups included.”

The last time he did something like that- he ended up hurt. Back in Tokyo-Before, we came here.  
   
What happened was simple enough- as fucked as that is. You can trace it back to its root and see some fucked up logic.

The incident is what’s lead to all of Aki’s weirdness. His ‘quirks’ as Ro likes to call them.

We had this babysitter- not a very kind woman. I know that- and I hated it… but I couldn’t find anyone else who could work the hours I needed to be worked.  
 She wasn’t abusive or neglectful- so it seemed like we were all going to have to make it work. Regardless of how much it sucked.

That day the babysitter brought over a few friends- which I told her not to do. Who knows how many young fuckers I had in my house while she was ‘in charge’.   The friends started to watch a scary movie- which I told them not to do.  
   
Aki and Laura were in the room- it was the middle of the day. (I figured this part out from Laura). The movie was really gory. Really frightening. Something a three-year-old definitely should not be watching.  
   
Aki got insanely scared. He got scared and ended up using his powers on accident.

Needless to say, the babysitter freaked. Laura tried to explain the situation but the woman wouldn’t listen. Laura says she tried several times and each time she was ignored.   The babysitter put a lot of shit together and figured out it was coming from him.   She… thought he was a demon. She told him he was a demon. She told him he was evil and shouldn’t be here.  
   
OF course, that made him cry... which made it worse.

He cried and cried and the woman continued to yell at him.  
   
Again- I got this from Laura.

The babysitter and her buddies left Laura alone in the house- locking her in the bathroom and took Aki to the park. To ‘play’.   I bet he was overjoyed after her yelling at him. He loved going to the park.

There, she was joined by a few more friends- according to the police report. I wasn’t there.   It was her boyfriend and few of his buddies. Fucked up dudes who didn’t have a lot of sense in between them.   It makes my blood boil thinking about it.   The boyfriend figured that Aki wasn’t a demon- but a mutant. And a young one at that. He thought, stupidly, that he could take Aki out before he fully came into his powers- thus saving the world from another mutant menace.

They lured him into the park to see the fish. Which he loved doing.  
   
There, they told him it was okay to get in the water- mind you he was three. Barely.

Then, they tried to drown him in the pond. The only thing that saved him was a cop who was walking through. The people ran away before anyone could be arrested. Aki was so scared that he ran off into the city as soon as he could breathe. He was three. Three. All he could do was ask for help- and no one would help him.

After three hours of wandering around- without me having a fucking clue where he was- the police found him. They wrapped him up in dry clothes, gave him some food. One of the cops was a friend of mine- I’d helped him out on a few missions. He knew who Aki was and gave me a call.   By then they had a working story of what happened. They even went as far as to question the babysitter- but she was nowhere to be found.

Laura destroyed the apartment trying to get out.  
 I found her in the bathroom screaming. I couldn’t get her to calm down.   The two of us ran to the park to find him, only he wasn’t there. We ran to the cops and spent several hours trying to track him… I mean how many three-year-olds could have possibly been roaming the streets by themselves??

When I got him back he held me like he was drowning. I couldn’t even get him off of me to drive home- we had to walk.

Laura tried to go after the babysitter on her own- even going as far as to make it out of the building. I didn’t know what to do. We started getting threatening messages in the mail. I couldn’t leave the kids alone…. and Aki- well Aki was too afraid of water. Too afraid of strangers. Too afraid of outside. I couldn’t leave his side.

So I called Chuck. We came here. And Aki’s been afraid of using too much power ever since.

He’s terrified of it.

“Aki,” I look down at him. He seems fine now. “Buddy are you okay?”

“I’m tired.” He squirms in my arms. “Daddy, it made my brain fuzzy.”

“What did?”

“My powers.” He puts his cast on my shoulder. “And my hand is fuzzy under my cast.” He frowns. “My powers have never made my brain fuzzy before.” He pauses. “Not since we moved.” His fingers are in his mouth again.

“‘Fuzzy’?”

He nods. “Tingly.”

“Take your fingers out of your mouth.” I gently pull his hand away.   

“Talking about my powers makes me sad.”

I can’t help but frown.

“Are you mad?” Aki asks, face close to mine.

“I’m not mad.” I try to conceal my worry.

“Are you sure?”

I’m not mad at him- I would never be.   But that much power? Used like that? On adults too?  
   
That’s… alarming.

“Positive.” I nod. I look at Ro, who’s probably wondering what my problem is. She won’t ask in front of the kids- but I know she’s thinking it. “His p-o-w-e-r-s are moving a little f-a-s-t,” I say over his head.

She nods. “A little too f-a-s-t? I thought the same thing honestly.”

  “Why are you spelling?” Laura asks curiously.

“Did you tell Chuck?”  
   
Ro nods. “I may have mentioned it in passing.”

“What are you talking about?” Laura’s standing in between the two of us, arms crossed.

“Do you think he’s in d-a-n-g-e-r?”  
   
“Why are you spelling?” Laura repeats.

I look at her for a minute. “Sweetie- why don’t you go to your room for a second. Ro Ro and I need to talk.”

She frowns. “Aki gets to stay.”

“Aki, you wanna go with your sister?” I ask him.  
   
Aki shakes his head. “Nope. Wanna stay.”

“I want to stay too.” Laura crosses her arms again.

“Laura darling, ” Ro says. “Why don’t you go finish your drawings? We can hang them on the wall when you're done. We won’t be long.”

Laura seems to like that idea better that the first and gives us a smile. “Okay.” She walks to the door and turns back. “I made one to show Peter. I think he’ll like it.”

“I’m sure he will.” I smile at her. “We’ll come get you in a second.

“Okay.” She nods.

Aki wraps his arms around my neck again, looking over my shoulder as his sister leaves.

“He’s h-e-a-l-i-n-g a little f-a-s-t-e-r.” Ro says as Laura goes.

“What are you spelling?” He looks between us.

“Weirdly f-a-s-t?”

She nods.

“You think someone did something?”

“Someone did what?” Aki asks.

“Probably S-I-N-I-S-T-E-R ?” she asks.

“Another guy.” I shake my head.

“Oh?”

“What’s another guy?” Aki asks, squirming some more. “I don’t like this game daddy. You’re speaking in code and I don’t know it.”  
   
“I know buddy.” I hold him a little more tightly to keep a hold on him.

“Who else could it be?” Ro frowns.

“Someone who was supposed to be D-E-A-D.”

“Oh.” her mouth is a little ‘o’ of surprise. “Then-“

“Fury said he was handled.”

“Fury?” Aki frowns. “The guy with the eyepatch?”

I know it’s not right- but I ignore him.  
   
“Then you think it was-“

I nod. I don’t even like to say his name.

“Why would he want A-K-I?”

“Because he’s the next W-E-A-P-O-N.”

“Weapon?” Aki asks quietly.

We turn to him.  
   
“That spells weapon,” he says with a nod. “It was on the bad man’s things. I asked him what it spelled.”

I stare at him for a second.

“Would he accelerate Aki’s P-O-W-E-R-S on purpose?”

“To make a-“ I frown looking at the boy in my arms. “You know what.”

“But he has L-A-U-R-A.”

“Laura?” Aki has his fingers in his mouth again- a sign of distress.

I glance over the top of his head. “Maybe we should take them to see a D-O-C-T-E-R?”

Ro nods. “Couldn’t hurt.”

“What’s that spell?” Aki sounds nervous. “What are those letters?”

“Nothing buddy.” I soothe. “Take your fingers out of your mouth.” He does so begrudgingly.

he lays his head on my shoulder. “I want more ice cream.”

We need to go talk to Scott. If Aki’s powers are growing- maybe the other kids are too.

I don’t think it will do much to Nate or Laura- who already have most of their powers active. However, I’m worried about Rachel.

“Ice cream, Ro Ro.” I zone back into the conversation.

“No darling.” she shakes her head. “If you eat something, I think it needs to be real food. You’re only hungry because we had ice cream, to begin with.”

“Ice cream is for sick boys,” Aki says pointedly.

“Nope.” I pat his back. “But I can make you french fries instead.”

“I want ice cream,” Aki says a little more forcefully.

“Chicken nuggets?” I offer.  
 “Potato chips.” he counters.

“Sandwich,” I reply.

He crosses his arms. “Nothing less than the best.” He nods his head.  
   
Sometimes kids say some weird stuff. Cute- but weird. “What?”

“Nothing less than the best,” he repeats with another nod.  
   
“What’s that mean?”

“Nothing less than the-“

  “I got that part.” I shush him. “Where did you get that from?”  
   
“A commercial for roast beef sandwiches.”

“You don’t like roast beef sandwiches,” I say dismissively.  
   
“Don’t tell me what I know,” he says.  
   
“Aki-“ I warn. “Watch it.”  
   
He grins. “I want nothing less than the best. And that means ice cream.”  
   
Ro grins at me as well, clearly happy with the monster she’s created.

“You can’t have any more ice cream.” I put him on the floor. “But you can come with me to go find Nate and his parents.”

“We’re hunting Nate?” He sounds overjoyed. “I can sniff him out! I’m real good at smelling things!”

He is good at smelling things. In a few months, I could probably teach him how to track. Probably. If he holds still long enough. Aki doesn’t have a lot of patience. To be honest, though, most four-year-olds don’t. Hell, most kids don’t in general.

He runs to the door.

“Don’t run, Aki,” Ro calls. She walks up beside me, taking my hand. “It’s been a long morning.”  
    
“Talk to Chuck about the kids seeing a t-h-e-r-a-p-i-s-t?”

“Jean did.” She pulls me into motion, walking us out of the greenhouse behind Aki, who is running a few steps ahead and jumping on the floor as if he were walking through rain puddles.

“What're you doing?” I have to ask.

“Jumping,” he says innocently.  
   
“Well watch your legs buddy.”

He looks over his shoulder, purposefully jumping harder.  
   
“You’re gonna hurt yourself,” I warn.  
   
Aki does three big jumps, the last one making him slip and land on his ass.   “Oh, Aki.” Ro picks him up and places him back on his feet. “Be careful.”  
 He pouts for a second.

“Ro Ro let me play in rain puddles today,” he tells me, stomping his feet instead of jumping. Bad mood gone.

“Outside?” That’s promising.  
   
“Inside.” He stomps some more.

“Ro made rain inside - huh?”

“For the plants.” Aki realizes we’re heading in the direction of his room and shoots ahead, barging in and jumping on his bed. “I need toys to take to Nate!” He explains.

“Aki!” Laura snaps. “Don’t open the door like that! You scared me.”  
   
Aki digs through his toys on his bed without acknowledging that she's spoken.

“Laura- have you seen Greg?”  
   
Laura glares at him for a second. “No.”

“No, because you’re mad or no because you haven’t?” Aki bounces off his bed and goes to his toy box that’s pushed against the wall.  
   
“I haven’t seen Greg since Nate played with him.”  

 Aki straightens up. “That’s right! Nate has Greg!”

Greg. Full name ‘Greg the army man’. Nate’s favorite toy in Aki’s possession.

Aki is throwing toys on the floor everywhere. Nothing is spared in his search.

“You’re getting your room messy again,” I tell him, crossing my arms. “You’re going to have to clean this.”

He looks over his shoulder. “Daddy.” he sighs. “You don’t know how this works.”  
   
I have to hide a smile. “How what works?”

“If I leave the room messy long enough it get’s clean!” Aki says happily.

“That’s because I clean it.” Laura side-eyes her brother.

Aki frowns. “I thought it was fairies.”  
   
“It’s me.”

  “Are you a fairy?”  
   
Laura pauses. “I could be.”

“You could???” Aki drops everything in his arms and runs to Laura’s bed.

Laura’s bed was one of the bribes we used to get her to stay at the institute. Besides the fact that me and Aki were here.   It’s a day bed, full sized, iron back done in swirls and some kind of design. The mattress is comfortable beyond a reasonable measure (thanks, Hank) and the blankets are made of a material that never gets’s hot or cold. (Hank again)

Aki stands at his sister's bed. “Do you have wings?”

Laura shakes her head. “No.”  
   
“Do you have dust?”  
   
“Dust?” Ro asks, standing just inside the room.

“Like fairies.” Aki nods.  
   
“I don’t think so.”  
   
I hate to dash her hopes but… “Laura’s not a fairy just because she cleans your messes, Aki.” I chuckle.

He frowns. “But you told Bobby that a cleaning fairy was going to come clean up after him.” He slaps his forehead in an “AHA” sort of way. “That’s Laura too!”

“I don’t clean up after Bobby.” Laura frowns. “Daddy do I have to clean up after other people now?”

“No.” I walk further into the room. “Aki, Laura is not a cleaning fairy. There is no cleaning fairy- I was joking with Bobby because he doesn’t clean up after himself.”

“Are you sure Laura’s not a fairy?” He’s frowning.

“Yea,” Laura adds. “Are you sure?”

I smile at her. “You’re not a fairy, sweetheart.”

“Do you know any fairies?” Aki slowly walks back to his toy box.

I could make a dig at Northstar … but…. the kids wouldn’t get the joke. And if they did they would think I was being mean.

 Ro doesn’t like it when I make ‘off colored’ jokes in front of the kids.

Not that I would say it to be truly offensive. He knows it would be a joke.   So I settle with a “No buddy. Fairies aren’t real.”

“What about the Tooth Fairy?”

Fuck.

“Well… okay.” I recover quickly. “I guess they are. But she’s the only one I’ve ever heard of.”

“The Tooth Fairy is a boy.” Aki shakes his head. “Nate says so.”

“Nate-“

  “Nate said the Tooth Fairy is a boy. With green dragonfly wings, a camouflage jacket, and a grappling hook.”

I look at Ro who shrugs.  
   
“He says Alex told him that.”  
   
….. Sounds like something Alex might say to his impressionable nephew.

He turns to Ro.   “Ro Ro, have you seen the Tooth Fairy when you fly at night?”

“Why would I see him at night?” She questions.

“Cause you’re in the air. And he’s in the air.”

“I think he’s a ‘she’,” Laura says. “I think Nate’s wrong.”

Aki gasps. “He’s the leader.”

“Scotts the leader of the x-men but daddy calls him wrong all the time.”  
   
Fuck again.

“That’s cause daddy’s insubordinate.” He nods.  
   
That.. is a shock.  
   
Ro lets out a loud laugh before covering her mouth with her hand.

“I’m what?”

“You don’t take orders.” he smiles. “Cause you’re the best.”

“I take orders.” I don’t know why I feel so defensive suddenly.

“Not all the time,” Laura says thoughtfully. “You and Scott fight a lot.”

“It’s because they like each other.” Ro grins.

“You two are frenemies,” Laura says with a smile. “Like on TV.”

Ro laughs again. “Oh this is fun,” she says.  
   
I turn on her. “Glad you’re having a good time.”

She holds a hand up. “Truth from the mouth of babes.” She smiles so radiantly that I don’t really have a comeback.

“Are me and Nate gonna fight a lot?” Aki sounds genuinely heartbroken.

“No sweetie,” Ro says gently. “You can stay friends.”  
   
Aki nods. “Good,” he says in relief. “I don’t want Nate to not be my friend.”

“You and Nate can stay friends,” I tell him. “I promise.”

“Even if our daddies don’t get along?” Laura asks.  
   
“Me and Scott get along fine.” I lie. “We just don’t agree all the time.”

“But Scott’s the leader,” Aki says pointedly. “You follow the leader.”

Unless the leader doesn’t have a fucking clue what he’s doing.  
   
“Sometimes the leader isn’t exactly right.” Ro points out, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Relax,” she says silently. I hadn’t realized I’d tensed up.

“Are you right when you’re the leader, Ro Ro?” Aki asks, walking over to us with his toys in his arms.  
   
Ro bends at the waist, hands on her knees as she leans forward to get on his level. “I’m always right.” She smiles.

Aki grins. “Ro Ro is always right!” he turns to me smiling wider. “That means we can have more ice cream!!!”

That means- huh? Ro pulls back laughing. “I’ve created a monster.”

“Ro Ro said we could have ice cream for lunch!” Aki bounces up and down on the floor. “Nothing less than the best!” He drops his toys where he’s standing and rushes past us into the hallway.  
   
“Aki!” I call after him.

He doesn’t stop.

“Do we really get more ice cream?” Laura says hopefully.

“No.” I groan. “ I think you’ve both had enough ice cream.”  
   
Ro kisses my cheek. “For what’s worth- in hindsight- I truly am sorry,” she says.

I have to chuckle.

Down the hall, I hear people complaining as Aki runs through them.

My four-year-old is cutting a path of destruction through the middle of the house. I just hope he doesn’t get into the classrooms.

“Do you want to chase him or should I?” Ro smiles.

Laura gets out of bed and comes between us. “I’ll do it!” She says happily.  
   
Before I know what to tell her- she’s taken off down the hall as well.

At least she knows how to dodge big groups of people.

Ro laughs again.

“You did this,” I tell her.

She grins. “That’s what makes it so funny.”

“You’re a real riot- you know that?”

“I have an inkling.”

I lean in and kiss her. “Inkling my ass.”

Someone else yells from downstairs. She can’t hear it and it’s faint even to me- but it’s there.  
   
I guess we should go stop the kids before they disrupt anything important.

We walk down the hall, following the knocked over tables and annoyed groups of students.   Aki and Laura are in the kitchen, hanging off the freezer doors. There’s a large freezer- for feeding the students of course- and then a small one used for x-men purposes. They’re in the process of opening the small one.  
   
“Get the pink!” Aki says, having not seen us yet.

“But we’ve already had pink.” Laura stands on her tip toes, inside the freezer. “I want chocolate.”

I stop in the doorway, crossing my arms.

Ro offers me a smile.

“Ahem.”

Both of their heads turn in our direction.

Laura stops what she’s doing, but Aki doesn’t have that good sense. He tries to climb inside the fridge so he can reach the freezer.

“Aki,” Laura whispers.

“Nothing less than the best.” He whines as I pull him out of the fridge.

“Do you regret giving them ice cream yet?” I ask Ro, throwing Aki over my shoulder.

“Daddy!” He whines.  
   
She shakes her head. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

I know she would, too.

“If I leave them with you while I go talk to Slim- are you gonna feed them any more sugar?” I tease her.  
   
Ro shakes her head. “Of course not.” She’s grinning, though.

I kiss her again. “Liar.”

“Yuck!” Aki cries. “Don’t kiss!”

“That’s what mommies and daddies do, Aki.” Laura rolls her eyes.  
   
Both Ro and I look at her.  
   
Mommies and daddies. Not just ‘daddies’.

Ro looks overjoyed. “You’re right Laura.” She agrees. “That’s what mommies and daddies do.”

“I still think it’s gross,” Aki says almost indignantly.

So there. A new plot point. Laura calling someone else her mommy? New territory. It’s not Ro and I haven’t discussed the possibility of taking our relationship further before. It’s kinda a given at this point. But the kids picking it up so quickly? That’s something we didn’t really plan for. Guess it’s something we should look more into.   Not that that’s a bad thing.  
   
In fact, looking at Ro’s face- I can’t think of at as anything other than magical.


	10. There will be paint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for the bad guys in this story I'm taking both x-men and wolverine dudes. (Sorry if I didn't say that before) 
> 
> Thanks for reading! And commenting! Really glad to know y'all like it!  
> Please enjoy!

Talking to Scott is like talking to a brick wall sometimes.

However, with the kids little ‘observations’ in mind- I figure I’ll have to play a little nicer. If anything to get across the point that you should listen to authority figures…. even if I have a habit of not doing so.

I told him about Aki’s jump in powers- that part he got.  
  
When is started to ask if Rachel had exhibited anything like that is where I lost him.  
  
He didn’t exactly know the answer to that. Turns out he hasn’t been around the kids for most of the last two days. Long story short I kinda ended up insinuating that he wasn’t a good parent.

Kinda.

He didn’t take to that well.

“We should be chasing down Sinister,” he said firmly. “We don’t have time to sit around and play. This is serious.”

I can see a certain soldier boy who would love to do all this planning with his dad.

Instead, the poor kids been banished from the war room for making the hologram projector go down.

I can imagine Nate’s feelings being a little hurt.

I can also imagine that if anyone knew if there was telepathic energy beyond normal in a toddler it would be Jean.

So I decided to track her down instead.

“I haven’t noticed anything strange.” Jean is standing in the door to her bedroom. “She hasn’t left my side- I think something would have shown by now.”

“That’s cool. Just wanted-“

“Nate.” Jean looks over her shoulder. “Baby- stop.”  
  
There’s the sound of something hitting the floor.

“He okay?” I can’t see over her shoulder.  
  
Jean sighs. “No. Scott kicked him out of the War Room.”

“Ah.”

“His little world has ended.” She looks back at him. “Put it down sweetie.” she soothes.  
  
Nate comes and stands beside his mom, hugging her leg. “I’m not a commander today,” he says, looking up at me. It damn near breaks my heart.

“Scott can get caught up in planning his attack-“ “

“I know.” I cut her off. “I spoke with him.” I pause. “Aki and Laura are playing with Peter in the day room. He’s doing a painting.” I offer to him. “Maybe you could go talk to them?”

“That’s an excellent idea, Nate.” Jean smiles down at him. “Daddy will be done soon. You and he can go do something once he’s back.”

Nate thinks about it for a second. “Okay.” He says quietly. Nate’s never quiet.

“I’ll take you there.” Jean takes his hand and starts to lead him into the hallway.  
Nate never holds hands either.

Damn. Slim really worked him over.  
  
“Where’s Rachel?” I fall in line behind them.  
  
“Jubilee has her,” Jean says.

Jean looks tired. With Scott in the War Room for as long as he’s been, she’s bound to be exhausted.

We walk to the day room with him being completely silent.

‘did you and Scott have an argument?’ Jean whispers through my mind.

‘tiny one.’

There’s a chance Nate could possibly hear us if he tried- but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be that kind of morning.

‘I’m going to go talk to him.’ she says. ‘Nate’s really upset…. and Scott’s working himself to exhaustion. I know he feels terrible about kicking Nate out this morning.’

‘we have no leads?’

‘none whatsoever.’

The day room or sun room- depending on who’s telling you about it- is a smaller room with a few couches and chairs spread out in front of several large windows. Pete set his easel up in the corner.

Laura’s on the floor drawing while Aki is on his tip toes trying to look over Pete’s shoulder.  
Even sitting down the dude is massive. There’s no way he can see.

“Look guys.” I get their attention. “Nate’s gonna come play with you.”  
  
Nate stays behind his mom’s legs.

“Nate?” Jean asks sweetly.

‘MY TROOPS WILL KNOW I’M NOT THEIR COMMANDER!’ is literally screamed through my mind. I see Jean wince as well.  
  
“Softer Nate.” Jean blinks slowly, putting a finger to her temple like she has a headache. “We use soft voices in other people’s heads- remember? Like Professor Xavier taught you?”

Nate loves being telekinetic. Really- he loves it. He likes to pick stuff up. He likes to give himself little boosts- like flying almost. He likes to show off to other people.  
Being telepathic takes a bit of work. He doesn’t like it so much.

‘they will know I’m not their commander.’ Barely a whisper.

“Now you’re too soft.” Jean never misses an opportunity to help him with his powers. She’s a good mommy. “Try a nice in between- okay?”  
  
Nate shakes his head.  
  
“You don’t want to try again?”

He shakes his head again.

“Go play with your troops.” I encourage. “They need you.”

“They do?” He slightly perks up.

“We do!” Aki says happily. “We have a mission we want your help with!”

“A mission?” He grins.

“An important one.” Laura looks up from her drawings.

Nate takes a step towards them, looking back at Jean. “Go on.” She shoos him with her hand. “They need you, baby.”  
  
He runs the rest of the way, stopping behind Peter. “What mission- Oh LOOK!” He points over Peter’s shoulder. “It’s Kitty!”

Aki stands on his toes again. “I can’t see!”  
  
Laura stands to her feet. “It is Kitty!” she gasps. “It looks just like her!”

“I like her hair!” Nate says.

“I still can’t see!” Aki says poutily.

Peter leans to the side, letting Aki look.

“Oh! She’s so pretty!”

“You think so little ones?” he chuckles.

“It’s almost like a picture!”

“Thank you.”

“Teach us how to paint!” Aki says. “I wanna paint!”

“It’s a little messy,” Peter says, looking in our direction for approval, I think.

“We have paints in Kitty’s classroom!” Laura says excitedly. “Can we go get those?”  
  
The woman on the hour walks past me and Jean, standing in the doorway. “What are we doing in my classroom?”

“Look Kitty!” Nate runs over and grabs her hand. “It’s you!” He pulls her over to the easel.  
  
“Oh wow! Peter, that’s amazing!” She’s blushing just a little bit.

“For you, Katya.” He smiles. “You could say you were my muse.”

She puts her hand on his shoulder. “I look way better on canvas.”

“No, you’re always that pretty,” Nate says, dismissing her comment.  
  
“Thank you, Nate.” She smiles, leaning over Peter’s shoulder. “And thank you, sir.” She kisses him chastely.

“Oh gross!” The kids say almost in unison.  
  
“Does this mean we’ll have another x-baby?” Nate asks his mom.  
  
“What?” Jean asks with a smile.  
  
“When grownups kiss and they don’t have a baby- they get a baby,” Nate says.

I have to hide my smile. “Ya wanna take this one, Jeanie?”

“No-“ Aki crosses his arms. “Babies come from cuddling.”

“Babies come from sex,” Laura says, putting her hands on her hips.

Kitty laughs so hard so suddenly that she snorts.

“Think that ones on you, actually,” Jean says smugly.

“Sex?” Nate shakes his head. “That’s not a real thing- you made that up!”

“No, I didn’t.” She shakes her head. “Bobby told me that the people on tv were making a baby. And the people on TV said they had ‘sex’. So sex makes a baby.”

“What’s sex?” Aki asks.

“It’s where the daddy puts the baby in the mommy’s tummy.”  
  
“That’s not true,” Nate says indignantly. “Babies come from kisses.”

“Babies come from sex.”  
  
“We’ll be having a talk to Bobby soon,” Jean says.

“How would a daddy put a baby in the mommy’s tummy?” Aki asks, his little face looking to be in shock. “They come from cuddling. The mommy and daddy love each other really much and the baby grows out of a seed that girls have in their tummies.”  
  
“I have a seed in my tummy?” Laura sticks her tongue out. “Gross.”

“Mom tell them that babies come from kissing.” Nate turns to Jean.

“Babies come from…..” Jean falters. “Ya know what- we can have this discussion later,” Jean says with a smile. “It’s not important.”

“Daddy?” Aki turns to me.

“Too little.” I shake my head.

“I’m eight.” Laura crosses her arms.

Kitty a Peter are standing there with smiles on their faces.

“Still too little.” I chuckle. “It’s not important right now.”

I’m not sure how I plan to have that particular talk- but I sure as hell am not doing it with my eight-year-old.

“So Kitty’s not having a baby?” Aki asks.

“No sweetie.” Kitty shakes her head. “Not for a while.”

“Is it cause you’re not married?” Nate asks. “That’s why Logan and Ro Ro haven't had a baby, I think.”

Jean chuckles. “No baby.”

He frowns. “I think it’s important for a commander to know these things,” he tells Jean. “Will you tell me in confidence- off the record?”

Jean grins.

‘everyone keep your thoughts to yourself.’ She cautions us mentally. ‘he’s probing.’

“We’re not ready for a baby.” Kitty fields that one. “So it doesn’t really matter one way or the other.”  
  
Peter nods, kinda enthusiastically if we’re being honest.

“But if you have a baby- I’ll have another trooper.” Nate walks over to Kitty and takes her hand. “I need another trooper.”

Kitty chuckles. “Not from me you don’t.”

Nate frowns. “But I only have two able-bodied.”  
  
“What about your sister?” Jean asks. “She’s able-bodied.”

“She doesn’t count,” Nate says dismissively. “She can barely talk right.”

Nate was an early talker- if I remember right. Aki was too. Laura could already speak, read, and write by the age of five. She’s very advanced. I purposefully make them take her classes slow with her. Try to keep her on grade level. I want her to be a normal kid.

“She’ll count when she’s older,” Kitty says. “You don’t need a new trooper until all of your old ones are trained.”  
  
Aki nods his head. “So when Rachel can be a trooper, Kitty will have a baby.”  
  
Kitty’s smile falters.

“Little ones,” Peter intervenes. “I think what Katya is trying to say is that she and I are not ready to have a baby. We are both young- we do not want to rush.” He smiles at them. “But someday, perhaps, there will be another ‘x-baby’.”

Nate smiles. “Okay. But when you do have a baby, it’s automatically in my troop.”  
  
When they have a baby Nate will be too old to play commander anymore. But it’s best not to tell him that.

“Troop,” Nate commands. “We have mission priority alpha point three two one,” he says.

“That’s a big one,” Aki says in awe.

“And important.” Laura adds, going back to her drawings.

“What’s ‘mission priority alpha point three two one’?” I ask the other grownups.

“Alpha usually involves food.” Kitty looks over the kids as they sit in a circle around the paper Laura’ s spread out.

“Priority alpha usually involves sugar,” Jean adds.

Nate glares at us. “Do not decipher my code!” he snaps.

I chuckle. “Sprite you got the munchkins for a bit?”

Kitty nods, looking down at them. “I think so.”

“They want to paint,” Peter says with a chuckle. “They said you have the materials?”

“I do.” Kitty nods. “I’ll go get them.” She turns to me and Jean. “Are their clothes paint appropriate parental units?”

Aki is wearing his ratty ‘skateboard’ shorts and Laura is dressed in a pair of green capris. The pants look a little nice. “Laura, go change pants,”

Jean observes Nate. “You’re good as long as you don’t get paint in your hair.”

Like there’s enough hair to get it in. Nate’s got his hair as short as it could go without being completely buzzed. Almost ‘army style’. According to him.  
  
Laura stands up from her spot and squeezes past Jean and I.

“Put on something that can get dirty.” I call after her.  
  
“I know daddy.” she almost groans. 

“Watch it,” I warn.

Laura continues to walk down the hall.

“Rogue said you and Ororo found some information that might be helpful,” Jean says quietly. “Did you tell Scott?”  
  
I tried to. But we ended up fighting instead.  
  
“Eh- no.”

“You should.” She exits the sunroom, waiting for me to fall into step beside her.

“I don’t think your hubby wants to see me right now.”

“You got on to him about Nate- didn’t you?” she asks.  
I nod.

“I appreciate the effort, Logan, really.” Jean stops walking. “But that’s not your business.”

I exhale slowly. “I know.”

“His parenting style is different.” Jean touches my shoulder. “But, if it makes you feel better, the two of us have been having a conversation about it.”  
  
I nod. “That’s good.”

She smiles. “I heard that Laura basically called Ororo ‘mommy’ this morning.”

“Did you?”

She nods. “I passed her in the hallway. She was thinking rather loudly.”

“Thinking rather loudly,” I repeat. “Better watch that Red.”

“My powers are well in hand.” Jean chuckles. “It was just runoff from how excited she was.”

That makes me grin. “Yea. She’s pretty happy.”  
  
“Where is she now?”  
  
“Undoing all the damage Aki did in the greenhouse,” I smirk. “He ate some of the plants.”  
  
Jean chuckles. “Ate the plants?”

“Apparently, Ro has some blueberry bush or something she was feeding Laura from. Aki saw there were edible plants and kinda went crazy.”

“That seems like something he would do.”

“He has a tendency to overdo it.”  
  
Jean smiles. “Like his daddy,” she says smugly.  
  
I shake my head. “I don’t see it.”

“That’s okay- the rest of us do.” She pats my shoulder. “I’ve got to go relieve Jubilee of her babysitting duties. I think I heard her say something about wanting to go to the mall. I’m paying her fifty dollars for letting me get some sleep this morning.”

“Rachel been that much of a hassle?”  
  
Jean frowns. “She won’t leave my side. Jubilee barely got her to move. And she’s Rachel’s person of choice.” She shakes her head as if to clear it. “It’s been exhausting.”

“I’ll bet.”

Jean nods. “Talk to Scott,” she says. “Please.”

“I’ll try.”  
  
“Civilly,” she adds.

“I’ll try,” I repeat.  
  
Jean smiles. “I’ll see you later then.” She walks off towards the back door. Jubilee likes to take the munchkins outside. Occasionally doing a firework show or two. The kids love it.

I find my way into the kitchen, digging through the freezer and settling on the ice cream I took away from the kids not too long ago. If they’re not around, they can’t really bust me for it.

I don’t hear or smell anyone in the kitchen, so I take a spoon and lean against one of the counters- eating from the carton.

Scott and I need to have a talk. Again. And we’re gonna fight- again.  
  
We just seem to butt heads no matter what we try to do. Originally it was over Jean. Then it was over missions. The kids were right. We’re kinda ‘frenemies’.  
  
“I think you got onto the kids for that.” Rogue’s voice is welcome but surprising.  
  
“That’s the cool thing about being a parent.” I grin.

Rogue takes a spoon from the door and motions towards the carton. “May I?”

“Knock yourself out.”

It’s one of those tri-flavored cartons. Most of the strawberry is gone- I think due to Laura if I’m remembering. Rogue makes do and decides to finish it off.

“You and Scott have it out?” She asks after a few silent moments.

I chuckle. “Who told you?”

“Remy was outside the War Room.” She grins. “Our fearless leader’s not ready to listen- huh?”

“Nope.” I focus on eating most of the vanilla. “What was Remy doing in the sub-basement?Unless we’re training- he usually avoids that place like the plague.”

She shakes her head. “Oh, he lost his staff. Again.”

Something about Rogue is off. I take a minute to notice.  
  
“Your eyes are-“

“We tried something.” She lowers her head. “I zapped him pretty good.”  
  
She’s wearing the Cajun’s ‘special eyes’.  
  
“You’re not gonna accidentally charge the spoon are you?” I half joke. If she does, that shit gets ugly real fast.

She smiles, somewhat dimmer than before. “Nah. I’m good.”  
  
We go back to silence. 

“Logan-“ She stops.

“Hmm?”

“It’s just…” She frowns. “Look- don’t leave- alright?” That shocks me.  
  
“Rogue-“

“I’m serious.” She cuts me off. “Things are a little weird. When they get ‘weird’ you go.” She looks up at me. “Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,”I promise her.

“Really.” She sets the spoon on the counter. “We got a good thing goin’ here. You. Ororo. The munchkins…. it’s a good thing.”

“I know.” I smile, resting the carton by her spoon. “I’m not gonna fuck that up. I promise.”

Rogue nods. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She nods. “I’m holdin’ you to that.”

“Ro would kill me if I tried to leave anyway.” I smile. She would. It took her years to get me here with her. Years. Any premature exit would get me electrocuted like a bug in a bug zapper. Fried.

“She’d have to get in line.”

“In line for what?” Both of us turn to the door as Chuck wheels in.  
  
“To kick Logan’s ass.” Rogue grins.  
  
“Are we forming a line for that?” Chuck smiles. “I think it would be easier if everyone involved just took a number.”

“Low Chuck.”

He looks at Rogue. “Rogue, if you could excuse us for a moment, I've some ‘ass kicking’ of my own to do.”  
  
Rogue smiles. “Sure thing Professor.” She waves bye from the door.

“Ass kicking?” I look down at him. 

“You and Scott got into an argument?” He folds his hands in his lap.

“Jesus- does everyone know about that?”  
  
He nods his head. “It would appear so.”

“He’s not thinking right.” I try to defend. “He’s not-“ 

“He’s not.” Chuck agrees, cutting me off. “So I don’t think he should lead this mission. I know you all want revenge- but it’s blinding him.”

“Blinding him- huh?”  
  
He nods. “I thought you ought to know.”

“Why?”

“Becuase as is the protocol, when Scott does not lead Ororo does.” His expression is hard to read. “I think she’ll be far more clear-headed.” He smiles. “Angry- but clear-headed.”

“Ah.”

So Ro’s gonna lead us into battle.

“You told her yet?”  
  
He nods. “We’ve discussed it.”

“You tell him yet?”  
  
He nods again. “I’ve sent him to his family and his bed. We all know how he gets when he’s exhausted himself to this level.”

“Yea. But he’s always kind of an asshole anyway.”

Chuck inhales almost comically. “I find it best to stay neutral in the wars that wage between the two of you. Being neutral I cannot agree nor disagree with that statement.”

That makes me smile. “Neutral my ass.”

“Be that as it may,” he has that expression on his face, “I need to ask a favor of you.”

“Favor?”

He nods. “It’s rather.. delicate.”

“You don’t usually ask for ‘delicate’ favors.”

“It’s Erik,” Chuck says. “He needs your help.”

“Oh fuck no.” I snort.

“Logan- please. Listen.” He waits to see if I’m going to interrupt. “It’s a simple favor. He has some intel for us back at the site. He wants you to go in and see if you can trace any of the scents. Find things that we may have overlooked.”

“Why him?”

“His powers are the only thing that is allowing us into the base at all,” Chuck says. “It would be a simple mission.”

“When would I have to go do this ‘simple mission’?”

“Whenever you’re ready,” Chuck says. “I was thinking of sending Scott-“ 

“How did I know that was coming?” I groan.

“Well, it’s not safe to send you alone.” Chuck raises an eyebrow. “You don’t think I would just take Erik at his word- do you?”

“I’m not sure what I think,” I admit. “You’ve got a blind spot for him.”

“No, Logan.” He corrects. “I have hope for him. I have the same hope for that I do for all of you.”  
Here we go again.

“You ever think that maybe- just maybe- he’s beyond hope?”

“No one is beyond hope- Logan,” he says. “We could have said the same for you not too terribly long ago.”

“Yea well that’s different.”

“How so?”

How so? “I’m not trying to start a war with an entire species.” I scoff.

“And he can’t move past that? Erik is the way is out of hatred that stems from a well-learned fear- Logan. Your hatred and malice also comes from a well-learned fear. Do you see the comparison I’m trying to make for you?”  
  
“Yea,” I growl. “I hear you trying to compare me to Magneto and I want you to stop.”

Chuck sighs. “Okay, Logan. Okay. It may be a bad comparison. But the fact still stands- I have hope for him. I have hope for all of you. And I know, in the end, that something will turn out like it should.”

“You’re a dreamer, Prof.” I cross my arms.

“The world is full of dreamers. If no one is thinking about a better tomorrow- then the world will simply cease to exist.”

“If you say so.” I snort.

We’re quiet for a moment. “When were you planning on telling us that Romulus was involved?”  
  
I whistle. “I don’t really know.”

“Seems like important information.”

“My important information,” I stress.

“He seemed interested in those children. That makes it everyone’s important information.”

“I know how to handle him. I didn’t want you involved in case you ‘had hope’ for him too.”  
  
Chuck frowns. “He’s very old. Very set in his ways. In that instance- you are correct. He is beyond hope. Does that mean you should kill him? No.”  
  
“He won’t stop gunning for them,” I say, looking down at the wood floor at my feet.  
  
“He can be incarcerated.”

“In what jail?” I scoff.  
  
“There are several institutions who house his kind and more.”

“I don’t want him ‘housed’ Charles. That means he can escape.”

“Your children are safe with him behind bars. They will learn that sometimes it is best to show compassion and mercy- even with our most hated of foes.”

“Hated. There’s a good term to use. This man has destroyed my family for generations. Generations. I won’t let him continue to do it.”  
  
“Logan,” Chuck says gently. “You cannot avenge the past. Focus on the present. I’m not telling you not to go after him. I’m simply asking you to… think before you act.”  
  
“Oh, yeah because I’m so good at that.” I snort.  
  
The ice cream on the counter is turning into a runny mess. I pick it up, put the lid back on, and walk back over to the freezer, turning my back to him.

“We will take this information into account,” he says. “Though I’m willing to bet that Ororo already knows.”

I look over my shoulder. “Yea. She knows.”

He nods. “She’ll be able to sway you more than I can.” He smiles slightly. “Listen to her if you won’t me.”

I have to give that some thought. “I’ll take it into consideration,” I say finally.  
  
Chuck nods. “That’s all I can ask for.” He starts to wheel out of the room. “When you’re ready to go, inform Scott. The two of you shouldn’t be gone that long. I know how important it is that you stay close to your children.”

“Yea.” The kids are gonna love that I’m leaving so soon.

“Maybe talk about when you should leave with him. The two of you making an informed decision.”

“I got it.” I snap. “I’ll talk to him.”

Chuck laughs. “That’s all I’m asking.” I stare at the spot he was sitting in long after he goes.

Working with Magneto. Fuck.  
  
Can’t tell the kids that.  
  
Guess I’ll just bill it as a ‘business trip’. Get Ro to watch them. They’ll love that. Maybe she’ll get them all hopped up on sugar and they won’t worry about me leaving.  
  
My mind flips to Aki’s show of powers this morning. How he ‘missed me’ enough to make them act up like that. I should tell Hank- have him take a look at him.  
  
Fuck. That makes sense. I should have had him do it before now. While we’re at it- Aki’s stitches could probably come out. I cleaned them not too long ago. They were almost healed. The cast could definitely stand to come off.

I walk from the kitchen to the sunroom with my hands in the pockets of my jeans. Kinda… I don't know. I don’t wanna say ‘moody’ but fuck. It feels like there’s no other word.

“Daddy look!” Laura holds up a picture of purple and blue paint smeared across the page. “It’s abstract!”

That makes me laugh.  
  
“We went over different painting types.” Kitty is bent over Nate and Aki.

“I got messy!” Aki looks up at me with paint all over his face, hands, and shirt.

“Finger painting?” I guess.

“We told him to use a brush,” Peter says, sitting in his chair and observing the kids. And Kitty’s ass if we’re being honest.  
  
“I ate the paint!” Aki giggles.  
  
“Why?”

He smiles. “Because it was blue!”  
  
That makes no sense- but to a four-year-old, I’m sure there’s some kind of fucked up logic.

“We also told him not to do that,” Peter adds with a smile. “The little one is quite stubborn.”

“Don’t know where he would get that from.” Kitty rolls her eyes.

“I made a battle schematic!” Nate says. “To show daddy.”

“Your daddy will love it,” Kitty says enthusiastically.  
  
“Mine’s fish!” Aki lifts his paper. “It’s Dragon and his family.”

“That’s great buddy,” I tell him.

“Mine is an abstract concept of emotion,” Laura says with a nod.

“A-“

“I was going over different types of art and artwork,” Kitty says with a grin. “I showed them pictures and that’s what she picked up.”

“It’s a redo of the one I saw!” She says happily.

I’m glad I made her change pants, her shorts, knees, and elbows are all covered in paint. Mainly because her knees are on one of her previous paintings and she’s laying on her stomach- elbows on her current painting.

“You two are going to need baths,” I observe.

“Not me,” Nate says, looking up. He’s got paint on his face a little and all over his hands- but he’s otherwise clean. “A soldier is clean and efficient.”

“I don’t know what efficient means,” Aki says.

“It’s military stuff, soldier.” Nate nods.

“Okay.” Aki goes back to swirling is fingers through muddy blue paint.

“Come on you two.” I motion for them. “We gotta go get clean.”

“Aw daddy.” Aki groans. “I like being blue.”

“I like you your normal color.” I smile at him. “We’ll come back for your paintings.”

“I’ll pick them up for you.” Kitty offers. “And I’ll put them right over her on the shelf of Peter’s easel.”  
  
Laura nods. “Okay.” When she stands up, a lot of her painted paper that’s stuck to her comes with her.  
  
“Oh.” She looks down.

“I’ll help you, sweetheart.” I start trying to peel the paper from her.

“Don’t rip it!” She cries.

“Not gonna rip it.” I shush. Very carefully, with as much force as I can put into delicately removing the paper, I pull the paintings off of her and pass them to Kitty. “There.”

Laura looks at her elbows. “I thought something felt squishy.”  
  
I have to grin. “Okay, Aki.” I offer my hand to him. “On your feet.”  
  
Aki slams his hands, both of them, palm down into the paint, causing it to splash on the floor.

“Aki,” I warn.

“No!” He snaps. “I’m not done!”

“Aki.”

“Not done!” he slams his hands some more, smearing paint off of his paper and onto the floor on purpose.

“Akihiro.” I snap. “Stop.”

He looks up at me before defiantly rubbing more paint.

“Aki stop.” Laura hisses.

“I’m not done!” he yells, suddenly.

“Akihiro this is your last warning.” I bend down over the fussy child.

He pouts his lip out and looks up at me. “I’m really not done,” he says.

“We can finish later. Come on.” I scoop him up into my arms.

I know I gotta wash him in the sink- because fuck my life- but I have no clue how to get all this paint off.

“Soap and water,” Jean says warmly as she walks past me in the hall and heads towards the dayroom.

“I would never have figured that out on my own,” I call to her.

She laughs and continues walking.

I go to their room and grab clothes. First Laura doesn’t like her outfit and we have to pick another. Then Aki decides he has to wear Pajamas. Even though it’s barely four o’clock. Eventually, I back down and let him pick out his favorite pair.

I get to the bathroom on our hall- the one we use to wash the kids in- already worn out. There’s a linen closet to the right of the door, as soon as you open it. I pull out two oversized towels and two wash cloths.

“Stay here,” I tell Aki, sitting him down.

Laura follows me to the tub, watching me run the water. “I don’t want to go to the tub,” Aki says behind me.

“You won’t.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You won’t." I repeat, looking over my shoulder.  
  
“I really don’t want to.”  
  
I sigh. “The tub water is for your sister. We get to take a bath in the sink.”  
  
The water is filled to an acceptable level and the temperature is how she likes it, so I turn it over to her. “Soap and shampoo.” I remind her.

Laura rolls her eyes. “I know daddy.”

She undresses and climbs into the tub, pulling the shower curtain closed.  
  
She doesn’t like help with bathing and she doesn’t like being supervised while she does it. I let her have her way most of the time.

“Wash your hair,” I call to her.

Aki is standing at the sink, looking at me with big eyes.  
  
We’re out of his routine.

“Climb up?” I ask him.  
  
The sinks are a large granite countertop housing three deep steel sinks and a large mirror on the wall.  
I pick Aki up and let him stand on the countertop. He stomps around for a moment, waving his painted hands in the air.

“What’re you doing?” I chuckle. 

“I’m the paint monster!” He holds his hands out to me. “Rawr!”

“Okay ‘paint monster’.” I smile at him. “Let’s take your clothes off.”

“No! My paint clothes give me power!”

He stomps around some more, stepping down into the sink to my right.  
  
“Paint monster’s don’t get snacks,” I tell him. It’s the dirtiest trick I have in my parenting game.

Aki thinks about it for a second. “The paint monster decided to go home,” he says finally, holding his hands up so I can take his shirt off.

“Imagine that.” I chuckle, lifting his shirt and shimming him out of his shorts.

Washing a four-year-old in a bathroom sink takes a lot of patience.  
  
He goes through his fish song, his water song, and his soap song. He’s patient as I wash his hair. By that time Laura is demanding that neither Aki or I look because she’s got to get out of the tub. Aki covers his eyes with both hands. I keep my head turned towards the mirror.  
  
“Get the paint off?”  
  
“Yes.”

“Off your elbows?”

“Yes.”

“And your knees?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
She’s losing patience with me. “Wash your hair?”

She groans. “Yes, daddy. I’m eight. I can wash my hair.”

“Did you get all the soap out?”

She makes noises while she get’s dressed.

“I’m done. You can look now.” To my dismay, she’s dressed her her pajamas too. She swapped her outfit at the last minute.

“It’s not bedtime,” I tell them.

“PJs are for movie nights,” Aki says, uncovering his eyes.

“Are we having a movie night?”

He nods. “With Nate and Rachel.”

“When did you decide this?”

“It was our mission for today.” Laura’s hair is dripping water all over the place.

“Oh it was.” I have to laugh.  
  
“We even picked out the movies!” Aki says, standing up in the sink.

“Does Nate’s mommy know about this?”

Aki nods. “He told her with his brain.”

“With his brain- huh?” I bet she was proud.

“Daddy, do you know how to do that hair twisty thing Ro Ro does?” Laura asks.

“What?” I look over at her.  
  
“Where she puts her hair up in the towel and twists it.”

“I don’t know how to do that.”  
  
Laura frowns. “Ro Ro and Rogue do it.”

“My hair's not that long. So I don’t.” I cross my arms. “We can dry it off, though. Let me finish with your brother.”

Aki doesn’t take long to get washed up after that. When I take him out of the sink he bolts as soon as his feet hit the floor, running around the room still soaked in water.

“Aki,” I call.

He stops by the tub. “The water’s gone.” He points. “It’s safe now.”

“Come here.” I wrap him up in a towel and dry him off. Then I dry her off. Then I dress him.

By the end, I’m exhausted and they’re full of energy.

“Movie night!” Laura says happily. “With popcorn!”

“It’s not even supper time yet.” I remind them. “You won’t have popcorn until after supper.”

“Can we have popcorn for supper?” Aki asks.

That’s gonna be a fight right there.

In stories, there is something called ‘tone’. The ‘voice’ of the story. Of the author.

The certain way things are told and what they sound like when they’re told.

The voice of my story has always been a brutal one. Ever since I was a kid. I haven’t been granted with many good things in life. Not things that lasted. Looking at them, their smiling faces, I have a feeling this will last. I hope it does. I want it more than anything.

Sometimes that’s all it takes to make something happen.  
That’s a silver lining right there. Most everything sucks to begin with- but you could end up with something a lot better than what you started with. If you try. And fuck am I trying.


	11. The will be growth

Sometimes, when I’m holding him, I think back to the beginning.

I didn’t actually hold him hold him until he was three days old.

That’s when Ro came and drug me back to the Institute. I didn’t know what to do so she sat me on the bed, told me to hold out my arms, and dropped him in. I held him for four hours- not putting him down. Finally, she came back in and told me he had to go to sleep.

Aki wasn’t a big baby but he wasn’t a small one either.

He’s always tended to be right in the middle. Not as big as he could be, but not completely shrimpy either. Makes sense if you think about it. I’m not exactly ‘tall’ by any means.  
  
His head is laid on my shoulder, arms wrapped around my neck, and body draped over my chest.

I’m glad I chose to sit in my chair.

Aki decided he wanted to cuddle during a ‘scary part’ of ‘The Princess and the Frog’ and never got down. Not that I mind.

The only kid left standing after our four hour Disney marathon is Nate. Laura’s passed out in front of the tv, head laid on a couch pillow.

Nate’s sitting on Scott’s lap, playing with his visor.  
  
We’ve tried telling him how dangerous that is- but he doesn’t care.

They had to go through several accidents when he was a baby of him ripping off Scott’s glasses- like kids do.

Several holes got blasted through the wall.  
Scott got into a habit of wearing his visor when he was gonna be holding one of the kids- just in case.

“And then we need to come in from above-“ Nate stands up in Scott’s lap and brings his hand down. “Like that.”

“Really?” Scott asks, humoring his son.

“Ro Ro can do it.” Nate nods.

“Did you think about who’s going to cover her when she drops?”

“Hmmm.” Nate puts his finger to his head. “I know!” he says. “You’ll do it!”

“I will?” Scott nods. “But then who’s going to cover me?”

“Ro Ro can make a fog!” Nate is getting increasingly more excited.

“What if it’s not dense enough?”

“Ro Ro can make a tornado!” Nate will not be deterred.

“What about causalities? Property damage? Messed up weather patterns?”

Nate frowns, sitting his dad’s lap. “Maybe she makes a tiny tornado?” He offers.  
“That’s better,” Scott nods. “But not quite it.”

“So no fog and no tornado…. what if Remy charges his cards and Ro Ro blows them in the bad guy's face?”

“Sounds like a high death toll,” Scott says. “We don’t want to really kill anyone.”

“Why?” Nate says. “They want to kill us.”

“Because we’re better than that,” Scott says gently.

Nate frowns. “Can Logan stab them then?”

Scott nods towards me. “You’d have to ask him. I don’t think it’s fair to make him charge head first into every situation.”

“But he heals.”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt,” Scott says. “You have to think about all of your team buddy.”

“Maybe Rogue can zap Logan and take his powers and then fly- then we’d have a flier and a healer.”

“You’d have to run that by Rogue.” Scott smiles. “Maybe she doesn’t want to have Logan in her head.”

“What if Mommy made a shield around everyone and they all went in together?”

Scott nods. “Mommy could do that.”

“And we could have Cannonball up high so he could-“

“You didn’t say Sam was on this mission.” Scott chuckles. “He’s not even here anymore.”

“Yea well on my mission we have You, Mommy, Logan, Rogue, Ro Ro, Remy, Sam, Kitty, Peter, Aki, Laura, and me.”

“Oh you and the kids are coming- huh?”

He nods. “We’re the team B. The grownups are team A. We hit from the front while you hit from the side.”

Scott ruffles Nate’s hair- what little there is of it. “That’s good planning soldier.”

“I’m a commander.” Nate corrects.  
  
“My bad.” Scott smiles.

Aki nuzzles my shoulder, sleepy and dreaming.

“I don’t think Aki will be good for this mission.” Nate points.

“Aki’s very tired.” Scott agrees. “Your last mission hurt him real bad.”  
  
“Daddy, can I tell you a secret?” Nate asks.  
  
“Sure.”  
  
He leans forward. “I wasn’t the commander on that mission…. I had to hold Rachel.”  
  
Scott smiles. “You did good saving your sister.”

“Laura was helping with the other kids.” Nate continues. “Some of them were too little. We had to make trips.”

“Yea?”

He nods. “But Rachel couldn’t stand out in the open- we had to tell the kids to hide.”

“What were you gonna do if we didn’t show up?” I ask him.  
  
Nate points at Aki again. “Aki said we had to go find the police.”  
  
“Ah.” Scott nods. “So you were going to lead the kids to the town?” The nearest town was well over fifteen miles.

Nate nods. “Laura and Aki were smelling and I was scanning with my brain. We thought we found people.”

They had twenty kids in the base including our four. When we got there-there was a fucked up line of children walking in groups- four by four away from the base. Big ones, little ones- kid kids.

The first two groups didn’t believe us when we said we were there to help.

The kids were gonna be all alone, out where we couldn’t find them.

“Were you scared?” I ask.  
  
Aki mumbles “’s scary.”

“Yea?” I kiss his head. “You ready for bed?”

“Mmuh.”

“We gotta get up early and go visit Hank in his lab tomorrow,” I tell him.

Hank’s barely left his lab. He wasn’t at the hospital due to him working on full medical exams on all the kids and efforts to get them home.  
  
When we got here, he was doing research as to what Sinister could have possibly done to the kids.

“All of us?” Nate asks.

“Yep,” Scott says. “All of you.”

“Because Aki’s powers acted up?”

“Yep.”  
  
“If Aki’s powers acted up doesn’t it makes sense that only Aki should go see Hank.”

“You like Hank,” Scott says.  
  
“Oh!” Nate slaps his forehead. “Hank is on my mission!”  
  
“Don’t hit yourself, bud,” Scott says.

“ I like him.” Aki yawns, waking himself up.

“You like who? Hank?”

He nods against my shoulder. “Daddy, did the movies go off?”

“Yea.” He turns his head towards the couch.  
  
“Can’t see.” He complains.

“You’re looking the wrong way.” I chuckle.

“Aki I think you need to be relieved of active duty status.” Nate crosses his arms.  
  
“Why?”

“You’re too sleepy.”

“Only when it’s dark.” Aki pouts. Getting turned down from missions by Nate would wreck him.

“You have to do a physical in the morning.” Nate nods. “So Hank will tell us if you’re okay.”

“I’m okay.” Aki insists.

“Not at night.”

“I’m littler than you.” Aki tries to reason.  
  
“Nate.” Scott says, “Aki’s only tired because he’s getting over being sick.” He motions to us. “Give him a break.”

“I wasn’t being mean, dad.” Nate huffs. “I’m trying to look out for every member of my team.”

Scott frowns. “You can do that without being mean.”

This time Nate frowns. “Sorry, dad.”

“Tell Aki you’re sorry.”

Nate turns his head to us. “I’m sorry Aki. I just didn’t want you to be sick on the mission is all.”

Aki nods. “I’ll be better tomorrow.” He yawns.

“You will?”

He nods. “I feel it.”

“You feel what buddy?” I ask.  
  
“My skin is tingly and my skeleton in my broked arm is feeling all straight.”

Scott looks at me- or in my direction. It’s always hard to tell with the visor.

“Your broken arm is feeling straight?”  
  
“Like my body is pulling it back together with my other skeleton bones.”

“That’s called ‘healing’ buddy.” We still haven’t been over this.

“I know what that is daddy.” He insists. “My skeleton is eating my bones to make them straight again.”

Because when they broke his arm, it ruptured through his skin. It was a truly horrible break.

“Your skeleton is eating your bones?” Nate get’s off his dad’s lap and walks over to my chair, looking at Aki with wide eyes.  
  
“To make them straight again.” Aki nods. “In the cast.”

“Can my bones do that?” He looks back to Scott.  
  
“No buddy. That’s a …. gift.”

“A gift?” Aki looks up at me.

“Like…. Laura.” I try to tell him. “When she get’s all better really fast?”

“Not as fast as you,” Aki notes.

“No, but she’ll get there.” I nod. “That’s something we can do. We get better really fast.”

“Me too?” Aki gasps.

“You too.” I nod. “Like me and Laura.”

“It’s called regeneration,” Scott adds. “It’s a mutant power.”

“I thought that was just a Logan power,” Nate says skeptically

“It’s genetic,” Scott says. “It can run in families.”  
  
“Wow.” Nate pokes Aki’s arm. “I wanna feel your bones, soldier.”

“You can’t feel my bones.” Aki whines, shying away from his finger. “It’s only under the cast.”

“Can we take the cast off? I wanna watch!”

Scott chuckles. “It’s actually really gross. You don’t want to see it- I promise you.”

Nate tries to touch the cast, but Aki moves it behind my head. “No Nate.” he snaps.

“Aki I just wanna touch it!”

“Go touch Laura’s bones!” Aki whines.

“Laura’s bones aren’t broked!”

“Broken.” Scott intervenes. “The word is ‘broken’.”

Nate is standing at my knees, leaning over Aki, this time not trying to touch his arm, but giving him a big bear hug.  
  
“Nate- son what are you doing?” Scott asks.  
  
“I’m holding his bones together so that no more of them get eaten by his skeleton!”

Aki giggles.

Nate joins him.

On the floor, Laura raises from her spot. “Are we going to put in another movie?” She mumbles.

“Laura- come help me hold Aki’s bones together!” Nate cries, hugging him tighter.

“His bones are coming apart??” Laura jolts up, running over to us so suddenly that her knee catches the coffee table and sends her to the floor, face first.

“Laura?” I lean around the boys. “Are you okay?”

“Owwww.” She groans, sitting up and holding her nose in her hands. “I think I broke my nose.”

“Come here.” I usher her over. “Let me see.”  
  
She uncovers her nose with a wince.

“Yup.” I nod. “You broke it.”

“She broked her nose??” The boys stare at her.

“Broke.” Scott corrects.

“It’s okay.” Laura shushes them. “It heals really fast.”  
  
The boys stare at her intently. Slowly the broken bones start to correct themselves- slowly, but noticeably.  
  
“Oh wow!” Nate is staring the hardest. “Wow!”  
  
“My arm is doing that?” Aki gasps.

“But slower.” I nod. “You okay sweetheart?”

Laura nods. “I think so.” She points to Aki. “What’s wrong with his bones?”

“My skeleton is eating the broked one.”  
  
“Broken.” Scott chimes. “Nate, give them some space.” He holds his hands out. “Come here.”  
  
“Why is your skeleton eating your arm?” Laura asks him.  
  
Nate begrudgingly lets go of Aki and walks back to the couch where Scott is sitting.

“Because it’s a generator.” Aki nods against my shoulder.

“No- Aki. It’s not a generator.” I chuckle. “You’re a REgenerator.”

“Right.” He nods. “That.”

“You’re like me and daddy!” she claps her hands and smiles.

“Yep.” I give him a squeeze. “When we see Hank we’ll take your cast off.”

“Because it will be all better?”

I nod. “All better buddy.”  
  
“Do we do anything cool, dad?” Nate asks, sitting on Scott’s lap.  
  
“What do you mean?”

“Something cool like healing fast.”

“Well…” Scott thinks about it. “You and mommy can read people’s minds. And move stuff. Me and uncle Alex can project energy blasts-“ 

“But we don’t all do the same thing.” He says pointedly. “We don’t have any genetics.”

“We still have genetics- everyone does. Our’s just aren’t that abnormal.”

“Ours is split.” Nate stops. “Unless I’ll get energy blasts! Do you think I will?”

“Maybe,” Scott says with a smile. “When you’re older.”

“But no healing in our genetics?” He presses. “It would make me a good soldier if I had my brain powers and I could heal.”

“Well… no. I guess we don’t.”  
  
“So we’re not all gonna live forever?”

Scott glances over at me. “Ah, no bud. We’ve got normal life spans.”

“All of us?”

Scott nods. “Yea bud.”

“So Aki’s not gonna get big?”  
  
“He’ll get big.” I field that one. “He’ll just stay big for a long time.”

“Like you?” Laura asks.  
  
I nod. “Like me.”

“Logan’s old as dirt,” Nate says with a nod. “That’s what Rogue says.”  
  
That makes me smile. “Yea, I’m pretty old.”

“How old?” Aki pulls back from me, looking at my face intently.

“Old. What are you doing?”  
  
“Looking for old man lines,” he says, concentrating.

“Old man lines?”

“Professor Xavier has old man lines.”  
  
Scott laughs suddenly but tries to recover it into a cough.  
  
“I don’t have old man lines, buddy.”

“But you’ve been alive since the eighty hundreds.”

“Eighteen hundreds.” I correct. “Yea.”

“And you got to see the world before cars!”

“Eh-“

“And cell phones!”

“Ye-“ 

“And computers!” Laura adds.

“Yep.”  
  
“No interwebs?” Nate gasps. “How did you watch Netflix?”  
  
“There wasn’t any Netflix.”

“He was alive when you had to rent movies from a store.” Laura nods.  
  
“So was I,” Scott says with a smile. “That wasn’t that long ago.”

“How old are you, daddy?”

“31,” Scott says.  
  
“How old are you?” Aki asks, still observing my face.  
  
“Over a hundred. Minimum.”  
  
“You don’t know how old you are?” Laura asks. 

“No. The doctors washed his brain.” Aki says with a nod.

Washed my….?  
  
“What?”  
  
“The doctors.” Aki restates. “When you were in the place with the fishy tank- they washed your brain and you couldn’t remember anything.”

Scott’s silent, drumming his fingers on his lap. It’s awkward, to say the least.  
  
“Yea.” I agree. “They washed my brain.”

“And the scary man was there.” Aki nods.

I exhale slowly. “Aki-“

“You don’t like to talk about the scary man.” Aki puts his fingers in his mouth. “Because he made our family dead.”  
  
“Yea buddy, he did.”

“For generations,” Laura adds.  
  
“Yep.”

“And then he tried to come for us too…. but he can’t kill us because we’re generators.” Aki says with a nod.

“Regenerators,” Scott says. “And you don’t have to worry. The x-men are going to handle the scary man, the bad man, the white man, and the scientists.” That’s the groups of people we’re after.  
  
The bad man is probably Killbrew- weapon x ‘doctor’. He’ll be interested in Aki and Laura more than the others- mainly Laura. The scary man is Romulus. I can see him focusing more on Aki than Laura.He’s got a thing for pure blood genetics. The White man is Sinister. He’ll be gunning for the Summers kids- like he always is. The scientists are remnants of the people who worked for Weapon X and run off from several other ‘programs’ S.H.I.E.L.D has ‘shut down’. A lot like Fury said he ‘handled’ Romulus. There’s certain shit that S.H.I.E.L.D just can’t handle. That are a little too big even for it.  
  
That’s where we’re supposed to come in.  
  
The x-men protect mutants. We try to shut these things down.

“We promise,” Scott says sincerely.

“So Laura doesn’t have to be a metal fish,” Nate says. “And Aki doesn’t have to be a letter.” he pauses. “And I don’t have to work ‘rebro. It hurt my brain.”

“You can work Cerebro when you’re older- if you want,” Scott says. “Mommy and Professor Xavier can teach you.”

“I don’t think so.” Nate shakes his head. “It hurt and the people’s thoughts were too loud.”

“You’ll get better, buddy,” Scott promises. “But now,” He goes to stand up. “It’s time for-“

“Run away!” Nate yells, jumping up from the couch.  
  
“Run away?” Aki asks sleepily.  
  
“It’s bed time! Run away!” Nate takes off through the house, heading towards the back door.  
  
“Nathan if you go out that door you will be in trouble!” Scott calls after him, taking off at a jog.  
  
In my lap, Aki starts to wiggle, trying to get down.

“Oh no, you don’t.” I wrap my arms around him. Laura stares me down. “Are you gonna bolt?” I ask her.  
  
She crosses her arms. “I haven’t decided yet,” she says.

“Can you please not?” I try to ask.  
  
Laura continues to stare. “Is it really bed time?”

“Yes it-“ 

“Run away!” she cries, running after Nate and Scott.

“Fuck.”

“Run away!” Aki calls, struggling in my arm. “Run a… waaay-“ He grunts, prying one of his arms loose. “You are making this very hard, daddy.”

“Oh, I am?” I snort. “I’d hate to inconvenience your escape attempts.”

“Your very unconvenicing.” he struggles, bowing his back until he’s leaning backward in my arms.

“Are you done?”

He weakly kicks at me. “Run. A. Way,” he emphasizes each word with a kick.

“Stop it.” I chuckle, lifting him up. “Let’s go find your sister.” I carry him through the house, following the noises of chaos.  
  
Scott’s holding the back door shut with both hands while it grows and eerie blue color and tries to open itself.  
  
“Nathan Summers you stop that this instant!”  
  
“Stop what?” Nate giggles from across the room. “I’m over here.”

“It’s not funny Nate!”

It’s a little funny watching Slim get his ass handed to him by his six-year-old - I’ll admit. I'm enjoying myself a little too much.  
  
“It’s funny!” Nate disagrees.

The door stops glowing a second before all the cabinets start slamming open.

“Oh wow.” Laura stops in the doorway.

“Nate’s making a mess!” Aki claps his hands together.  
  
Pots and pans start to lift out of their shelves and fly through the air.

“That’s enough Nate!” Scott orders.

“I’m not doing it!” Nate giggles again.

“Open the door again!” Aki cries.  
  
“Shush.” I hiss at him. “Nate’s in trouble.”

“I didn’t do it!” Nate raises his hand in the direction of the mess flying through the air- a gesture is momma uses a whole hell of a lot.

Scott moves into the middle of the kitchen. “Put it back.” He orders. “Right now.” Scott get’s grazed by a spoon. “Nate! He snaps.

Nate groans and slowly the items return to where they came from.

“Thank yo-“ A drawer opens and shuts. Scott stares at it.

“Thank-"

An overhead cabinet opens and shuts.

“Nate-“ The fridge door slams open and then shut.  
  
“Are you done?” Scott asks impatiently.

The silverware drawer opens and shuts really fast.  
  
“Nate?”

Nate giggles. “I’m done now.”

That was an impressive show- even for Nate.

Scott crosses his arms. “That was-“

“Mommy said it’s okay to use powers,” Nate says defensively.

“Nate-“

“She told you that.”

“When did you tell you that she told me that?”

“I heard it in your brain!” Nate sticks his tongue out at his father.

“Daddy, I think we should leave,” Laura whispers, walking over to me and taking my hand.

“Nathan- going in other people’s heads without their permission is-“

“Wrong.”

“Right. Because it-“

“Invades privacy.”

“Right.” Scott nods "And it-"  
  
“Makes people uncomfortable.”

Scott points at him. “Are you doing it-“

“Now?”

“Yea.”

“No.”

“Okay.” Scott frowns. “Then I want you to go to the bedroom and climb in bed and-“ 

“I want to go to the zoo!” Nate cries happily, jumping up and down.

“Aha!” Scott points at him. “You are in my head. I thought that just for you.”

Nate frowns.  
  
“The Zoo???” Aki turns to me, grabbing my face. “Can we go?”

“Buddy I think-“

“Please???”

“Now Aki-“

Maybe I should let him go. That means he'd have to go outside. It wouldn't be the first time I tried to trick him into doing it. 

“You teletricked me!” Nate pouts.

“You shouldn’t be in grownups heads!” Scott says in exasperation. “You don’t know what you’ll find in there!”

“Like naughty nakey thoughts?” Nate raises an eyebrow.  
  
“What?”

Nate points at me. “Logan thinks about Ro Ro a lot. Only she’s in her underwear.”  
  
Thank god that’s all he saw. I don’t know what his range is. Who knows how close he has to be to hear those thoughts.

“Ewww gross!” Aki sticks his tongue out.

I don’t know how to respond.  
  
“Yes- like that.” Scott nods. “Don’t go into other people’s heads.”

“So we’re not going to the zoo?” Laura asks, squeezing my hand.

“No sweetie.” I glare at him. “Don’t bring that word up unless you’re ready to follow through.”

“Logan-“ 

“OH my god.” A new voice makes both of us jump. “The telepathic chatter from this room is deafening!” Jean stands in the doorway with her hands on her hips. “What’s going on here?”

“Nate decided to destroy the kitchen.” Scott points at his son.  
  
“I put it back!”

“And he’s been reading grownups thoughts.”

“I don’t do it that often!”

Jean and Scott get that look they have when they’re discussing something via telepathy.

Nate stares intently before putting a hand to his forehead. “OWWW.”  
  
Jean turns to him. “Baby I’ve told you not to try to listen when daddy and I are talking.”

“You hurt my brain!” Nate rubs his temples.

“It’s time for little psychics to go to bed,” Jean says. “Quietly.”

“I just wanted to play with daddy.” Nate pouts.

“Daddy can’t play those games.” Jean offers him her hand. “Come on baby. Let’s go to bed.”  
  
Nate steps up and takes it. “Good night troops.” He says, letting Jean lead him out of the room.

“Good night Nate!” Laura waves to his retreating form.

“I wanted him to pick something else up,” Aki says dejectedly.

“He picked enough up,” Scott says, running a hand through his hair. “He’s never- I mean-“ 

“He’s grown.” I infer. “A lot.”

Scott nods. “He and Jean play this game where he tries to move something, and she stops him- it makes him focus harder or something like that. I’ve never seen him rearrange the entire kitchen before.” He whistles. “That took a lot of focus.”

“Way more than a six-year-old should have.” I agree.  
  
Scott nods to the kids. “After you put them in bed, why don’t we sit down with Hank and see what he thinks?”

I nod. “Sounds good.” Scott glances over Aki. “I don’t guess you were here for his display this morning.”

“Nah. I had business.”

“He made Ororo and Jubilee cry for ten minutes.”  
  
“It was an accident,” Aki says in a whisper. “My head was really fuzzy.”

I think about it for a second. “Laura’s healing seemed a little fast- too.”

“Are we freaks now?” Laura asks quietly.

“No,” Scott says before I can. “No Laura. You’re not freaks.”

“We’re just worried about you,” I add. “All of you.”

Aki lays his head on my shoulder. “I liked watching all the stuff go through the air,” he says.

“Yea?” I smile. “Well, maybe he’ll do more tomorrow.”

“And maybe we’ll go to the zoo?” Laura asks.

I groan. “Why the zoo?” I ask Scott. “You couldn’t have thought ‘ice cream’ or ‘arcade’ or ‘park’ - it had to be the zoo.”

“Nate likes the zoo.” Scott shrugs. “I thought he’d be unable to control his reaction.”

It wasn't a dumb move I guess.

“I’m gonna take the munchkins to bed.”

Scott nods. “Honestly, I think I’m getting a beer.”  
  
“That’ll help.” I chuckle. “Say goodnight kids. You’ll see Scott in the morning.”

“Good night,” Laura says.  
  
“Night night.” Aki has his fingers in his mouth again. He’s done that a lot since we rescued him.

“Fingers out your mouth, buddy.” I tote him up the stairs and into his bedroom.

"I don't want to go to the zoo daddy." He says, fingers still in his mouth. 

"You don't wanna see the animals?" 

"I do." He nods. "But I don't want to go into the outside." 

I frown. "Okay buddy. You don't have to go to the zoo." 

We weren't going anyway- but that's besides the point. 

  
Bedtime is pretty easy to get ready for since they’re both in their PJs already.  
  
As I’m laying him down he asks very quietly, “Why would you want to see Ro Ro in her underwear?”  
  
I thought I’d escaped that.

“Daddy’s crazy like that,” I say simply. “‘Nuff said. Okay?”  
  
Aki smiles. “Okay.”

“Okay.” I kiss his head and arrange his toys.

Laura lets me kiss her but tucks herself in. She’s eight- after all. Or so she says.

The kids are growing. Quick. Not age wise- of course. We’ve still got several years. But power wise? That was some serious shit Nate was doing. I’ve seen telekinetics in their teens unable to have that much accuracy.

A trip to Hank is definitely in order. A small part of me thinks that maybe the kids got away too easily.  
  
Both Sinister and Romulus were in that compound. There’s no way one of them didn’t see the kids escaping.  
  
A larger part of me has enough sense to be scared by the thought of it.

I think, maybe- just maybe- this isn’t as ‘over’ as we told them it was. It’s something we’re gonna have to a hash out.  
  
Maybe with beer.  
  
I tell the kids I love them and close the door, standing there for a second.

“Busy day?” Arms wrap around my shoulders.  
  
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” I grin.  
  
“Come to bed?” She offers. “Tell me about it.”

“Gotta go talk to Slim…. then I’ll come.”  
  
“Is this a conversation you and Scott need to have by yourselves?” Ro asks sweetly.  
  
“Nah.”  
  
She kisses my cheek. “Then I’ll accompany you.”

“I am once again blessed by your presence, darlin’.”  
  
She chuckles. “And don’t you forget it.”

She lets go of my shoulders and lets me turn around, taking her hand.

If she’s involved, she can guard the kids while I’m gone. Make it harder for anything to happen to them. When you’ve got a literal force of nature on your team- it’s hard to be all that worried.  
  
A little worried- sure. That’s fine. But not as much. She’s at my back. That’s all I need right now.

At least for tonight.  
  
I’m willing to leave it there for a while.


	12. There will be dancing

About two weeks ago, I took Aki and Laura to see Hank. He said that while their powers had been ‘rushed’ they had not been ‘advanced’. They were just in later stages of power development earlier than intended. No extra powers really- just a bit of a head of schedule.

Laura thought it was cool. Aki- he didn’t really care. I told him if he sat still long enough I’d go get him a cheeseburger. So naturally- when he got done- that’s all he cared about.  

After that appointment, Slim and I took off to go find Eric. Help him out with whatever needed to be done. We spent five fucking days at that site in the cities around it and found nothing.  
  
As the days got closer to today, I told Slim we had to cut it off.  
  
He was pissed- but he understood my reasoning. 

Because in all the missions, work, and play, I never miss two days out of the year with the munchkins. Never. 

“Hey buddy,” He’s asleep in Ro’s bed. It’s been a long two weeks for him- I’m sure. 

Scott and I just got back from our uneventful interaction with Eric. I think the fucker was just jerking us along. 

Aki is in one of Ro’s arms, and Laura is in the other. The three of them are passed out in Ro’s bedroom. 

Her room, unlike mine, is neat. Her bed sheets match her comforters. She has furniture that matches. Her clothes are in the right places… the list goes on and on. 

“Buddy.” I shake his shoulder a little.  

“Daddy?” He barely picks his head up. 

“Hey.” It’s pitch black, about 11:50. I just got back a few minutes ago. “Come here.” 

“S sleepy time.” he mumbles. 

“Come here,” I repeat, ushering him with my hand. 

Aki rubs his eyes and crawls out of the bed. 

“Lau-‘ 

“ She can stay asleep.” I offer him my hand. “Come on.” 

He takes my hand and does little half steps, following me clumsily out into the hall. 

“Daddy- it’s bed time.” He rubs at his eyes when the light hits his face. 

“I know bud. But it’s okay. Tonight’s special.” 

“Special?” 

I nod, starting to lead him through the house. 

“Why?” 

“You remember what tomorrow is?” 

“Tuesday?” 

“Thursday- but no. It’s something else.” 

“Morning?” 

“Mmm no.” 

We stop in the kitchen. I keep the lights off and let go of his hand, going and opening the glass doors that lead into the backyard. 

“Daddy.” He whispers. “The outside.” 

“You don’t have to go outside.” I shush. “I just wanna see the sky.” 

“The sky?” 

I nod. “The stars.”  
  
There’s not a cloud to be seen in the late night sky. 

Aki stays by the fridge. 

“What’s tomorrow buddy?” 

Aki counts on his fingers. I don’t know what he’s counting- but it’s cute none the less. 

“Tomorrow is…. my birthday!” He says suddenly, clapping his hands together

“That’s right…. so in….. five minutes- it will be tomorrow. And you’ll be five.” 

“I like being five!” He smiles in the dark. 

“And Ro Ro and I got you presents, and a party, and everything.” 

“I like being five more!” He dances in his spot. 

“Yea?” I hold my hand out to him. “Come here.” 

When he gets over to me, I take a seat on the floor, sitting in the only patch of light in the kitchen- the moonlight. 

I pull him into my lap. 

“You like the moon,” Aki says when I situate him. 

“I do like the moon.” 

“I like the moon too.” 

I wrap my arms around him. “What have you been up to while I was gone?” 

Aki hums. “Classes started back…. but preschool isn’t really that hard for a five-year-old boy.” 

“Oh?” I grin. “Was it hard for a four-year-old boy?” 

He nods. 

“I’m sorry buddy.” I can’t help but frown. “Did you get to play a lot?” 

He nods. “But it was really sunny outside so Kitty tried to take us into the backyard.” He points out the door. “I was too scared of the outside.” 

“So-“ 

“I played inside with Rachel,” he says. “She doesn’t know how to play right- though.” 

“I’m sorry buddy.” 

He’s quiet for a second. 

“Nate got me a fish book.” 

“Oh?”  
  
“The fishy get’s lost.” 

“Yea?” 

“But he finds his mommy and daddy in the end. So it’s all okay.” 

“That’s great.” 

We stare out the opened door. 

“Did you get the bad guys?” he asks. 

“The bad guys?” 

“On your mission?” 

“Weren’t any bad guys to get.” I kiss his head. “Just an intel mission.” 

That went horribly. 

“Nate said his daddy was gonna bring him and Rachel something home.” 

“Oh, he did?” I smile. 

He nods. “For Nate’s birthday.” 

Scott missed Nate’s birthday by a week. I know Jeanie wasn’t too pleased. We couldn’t just up and leave, though- according to him. When it got close to today, however- I told him I was leaving with or without him. Magneto be damned. Scott grudgingly agreed to come home. 

“Did you bring me and Laura something home?” 

I don’t usually. 

“Not this time, buddy.” Scott took a few hours off to go into town to get Nate’s present. Some army stuff. Plastic soldiers, a compass, a map, binoculars and he ordered a pair of boots. I’m guessing he’s going to give them to him in the morning. 

He was in town- Because why not?  
  
Me? I was picking up his slack. So no. I didn’t have time to go into town. 

“Did you say you got me presents?”  Aki asks quietly. 

That makes me chuckle. “Yep. A lot of presents.” 

More than last year- that’s for sure. 

I’m so happy he’s okay that I would give him just about anything. 

“And a cake?” 

“Ro Ro got it this morning.” 

“Is it a yummy cake?” 

“I bet it is.” 

He leans back against me. “I thought you wouldn’t be home for my birthday. I was really sad.” 

That- I know. Ro told me. 

Aki and I have never been separated on his birthday.

I’ve been getting him up before midnight since he was a baby. It’s an important night for us. 

“I told you I’d be home- remember?” 

He nods. “But it’s tomorrow and when I went to bed you weren’t here.” 

“I got here late.” I agree. “But I told you I wouldn’t miss it.” 

“I’m happy you’re home, daddy.” he says. 

“I’m happy too.” 

He’s silent for a few minutes. 

“Daddy?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Are we gonna say hi to mommy?” he asks.  

That’s what we did back in Japan. Then I would get Laura up too. 

Itsu is buried back in Japan, though. We can’t go see her anymore. 

“No buddy.” I hold him tighter. “She’s not buried here.”

Just him and me tonight. Like back on this day five years ago. Me holding my boy.

With recent events taken into account, I found tonight to be more important than the prior years. Our family is small- the three of us. And we’ve all lost something no one can replace. All we have, in the end, is each other. 

Laura and I do the same thing on her birthday. Though she usually wants to spend her first few hours playing. It used to be with me- when she first came to me. It was her fifth birthday. She had no clue what I was doing and didn’t understand it. 

No one had ever celebrated her birth before. Her momma made sure that I knew when it was, though. She left a note. She explained her name, her age, her birthday, some of what they’d done to her, and overall how special she was. 

Aki doesn’t mind sharing his birthday with his sister. When we would go visit Itsu this late/early, Laura came with a silent respect- almost. Like she somehow understood what was happening. 

Seeing mommy was something we did first thing on his birthday. He likes to tell her how much he’s grown. Last year he cried for three days because he couldn’t see his mommy on his birthday. 

“Nate said she has a statute,” Aki says. 

She does. It’s sorta a thing around here. A way to remember those who fought the good fight. 

“I’ve never seen it, though.” 

“That’s cause it’s outside,” I tell him. There’s no way he would leave the house when he got here. I don’t think I even bothered to tell him about the statute. 

Aki turns and faces me. “If I go outside to mommy’s statute can I say hi to mommy?” 

I don’t really know what to say. Last year around this time, he was still petrified. We didn’t have a very good birthday. 

“Yea bud,” I say finally. “I could take you to see it.”   

Aki is quiet for a long time. “I’d really like to go say hi to mommy,” he says finally. “Will you hold my hand so the outside doesn’t take me?” 

“Yea. I can do that.” 

He stands up and offers his hand to me. “Don’t let me go, daddy,” he says softly. 

“I won’t let you go, buddy.” I stand up and take his hand, moving slowly towards the doors. “Ready?” 

“Don’t let go.” he repeats. 

“I won’t.” I tug his hand a little. I’m standing in the yard with my arm stretched backward as he holds onto the door frame. “Buddy?” 

“Don’t let me go.” He clings to the doorframe with his free hand. 

“Come on five-year-old boy. Nothing to worry about.” 

He puts his fingers in his mouth again. 

“I really wanna say hi to mommy,” he says. 

“I know buddy. Just follow me this way.” 

“But it’s outside.” 

“I’m right here,” I promise. “And there’s no one else out here. Outside isn’t dangerous.” 

It’s not ‘outside’ who hurt him. 

It’s not even the water that hurt him. 

It was the people who were with him. 

The only fear he walked away from that horrible ‘accident’ with that is in the absolute right place is his fear of strangers. 

I bend down in front of him. “It’s okay buddy.” I take both his hands in mine. “See? I’m outside. I’m right here and nothing bad is happening.” 

Aki eyes me warily. “I really wanna say hi to mommy,” he repeats. 

“Let’s go say hi to mommy,” I say gently. “Her statue is in the garden.” 

“Ro Ro’s outside garden?” 

I nod. 

“With the yellow flowers?” 

I nod again. 

“I like the yellow flowers,” Aki says. “She brings them inside sometimes.” 

“I know she does.” I get to my feet, still holding his hand. “Come on big boy.” 

Aki takes a tiny step past the door frame, out onto the grass. 

The backyard is, as you would imagine for a mansion, large. It’s a good little walk to Ro’s garden. There’s a paved path leading to it just beside his bare foot. 

“Do we follow the road?” he asks. 

“Yup.” 

He takes another little step. 

“Doing great buddy.” I praise, taking a step further. 

In the distance, an owl is hooting. 

Aki jumps three feet in the air. “Was that?” He starts to go back to the door. 

“It’s an owl buddy.” I hold him in place. “Just an owl.” 

The yard is alive at this time of night. Wind through the trees and animals out and about. 

I can hear everything. 

He can hear everything. 

I take two more steps forward. 

“Are we going near the pool?” He stops walking. 

“No buddy, we’re not going near the pool.” 

“I’m really scared of water, daddy.” 

“You’re not going near the water,” I promise. “We’re going to the garden, remember?” 

He nods, coming beside me and holding onto my leg. 

“Can’t move with you holding my leg, buddy,” I say patiently. 

“I’m really scared.” he whimpers. 

That- I was not expecting. 

“Aki, come here.” I scoop him up. “How about I carry you?” 

He wipes a tear from his face. 

“Okay,” he says. 

“Okay. “I nod. 

I carry him through the yard, past the bushes and trees and tennis courts, until we’re standing in Ro’s garden. 

A large square with rows and rows of flowers and plants. All the colors are dimmed down in the dark, but it still manages to be pretty. 

In the center are a few statues. Some of Chuck’s relatives- I think they were there when the place was built- and then her’s. 

About as tall as she was- not very. 

Polished stone. She’s wearing her ‘uniform’. 

Aki is quiet for a second. 

“There you go.” I point to the statue. “That’s mommy.” 

“She’s not pregnant,” Aki says. 

“Hmm?” 

He points. “I’m not in her tummy.” 

“UH-“ 

“Is that because I’m alive?” he squirms in my arms until I put him down. 

“It was probably just sculpted from an old picture from before she was pregnant.” 

If he had died, I’m guessing he’s right. The statue would be pregnant.

Aki goes to the foot of the statue. 

“I-T-S-U.” He spells. “That spells mommy.” 

I chuckle. “No buddy. That spells “Itsu”. That’s mommy’s name.” 

“Oh.” He touches the polished boots. “I like her shoes.” 

“Yea?” 

He’s frowning. “I thought her costume would be like yours…. her face isn’t even covered.” 

“Nope.” I don’t know what to say really- standing here, looking at her. I don’t come out here that often. 

“She’s so pretty.” He hugs one of the statue's legs. 

“She was really pretty.” I agree, crossing my arms. 

“I came outside to see you, mommy,” he says. “Because it’s my birthday.” 

“You can come see mommy as often as you’d like,” I assure. 

He shakes his head. “Nu uh. After I say hi to mommy, I’m not coming back outside until next year.” He turns back to the statue. “I’m afraid of the outside, mommy.” 

She would understand that. She would have torn Japan apart looking for the men who hurt him. 

There’s always a lingering thought that she would have wanted me to do the same. 

At the same time, I know she would realize, objectively, that I was the only one looking after the kids. And that leaving was ultimately the best option. 

I know she would know that. 

“But I’m a five-year-old boy today,” he says. “And I wanted to come say hi.” 

I watch him, latched onto the statue's legs. 

“Daddy said I could keep my name- even though the bad man wanted to turn me into a letter.” 

Yup. No letters here. 

“And I still have Dragon too,” he says. “I got hurt really bad and had to go to the hospital but it’s okay now because I’m a refrigerator.” 

“Regenerator.” I correct with a laugh. 

She would have loved that. His butchering of the English language - hell the Japanese language as well- would make her laugh. I have so many cute stories I could have told- that we could have shared together. 

His first birthday I drank myself to the point of blacking out. I sobered up real fast- as usual- but god I was drunk. Still a little tipsy when Laura got up if we’re being honest. 

I missed her. 

I still miss her. 

Time doesn’t take that away. I loved her. I still love her. 

I mean, I love Ro too. But Itsu was my wife. She was my best friend. The mother of my child. 

Ro can easily take the spot of best friend. Easily. She possibly could take the spot of wife- if we wanted to. Fuck we could even have kids one day. 

But the two of them will always be separate. Just in small ways. 

It’s hard to explain. But one of the things I love about Ro is that she gets it. She understands how I can still love my wife while being in love with her. She doesn’t try to diminish or dismiss that. 

Ro’s a hell of a woman. 

I can say that here, looking at her statue. 

She loved Ro. 

She would have chosen her to make me happy. 

She would have chosen her to make Aki happy. 

“That.” he nods. “It means I heal really fast- like daddy and Laura.”  He rocks on his feet. 

He’s dressed in his bed clothes- long red Avengers PJ shorts and a black long-sleeved top. It’s still cold out. I think I’ll have to get him inside soon. 

“We’re gonna have to go inside in a few minutes Aki,” I tell him. “It’s cold out here.” 

My original intent was to keep him inside. This was a curveball he’s thrown me. He’s good at that. 

“I’m not done talking to mommy.” He turns back and faces me. “I need five more minutes.”  He holds up five fingers. 

“Five minutes.” I agree. 

He nods. “Mommy I have a lot to tell you.” He hugs the statue's leg again. “I want a dog and Ro Ro says we have to talk to the professor.” 

Oh, she did. 

He is not getting a dog. I don’t care what Ro and Chuck say. 

“And I go to class with the other kids. My teacher is Kitty. She can go invisible.” 

“Intangible.”  I correct. 

“Oh.” He frowns. “I have a question to ask you. And please don’t get mad from heaven.” 

Okay…

 “Mommy,” he says more seriously. “I love you still… but I think I want Ro Ro to be my mommy too. Is it okay if both you AND Ro Ro are my mommy? Because you’re not here?” 

He waits. 

This is not a surprise to me. Aki asks this kind of questions a lot. He’s even directly asked me before. 

“She can’t talk back, buddy.” I remind him. 

Aki nods. “I think she said ‘yes. It’s okay’.” 

“Did she?” 

He nods. 

“I’m sure she did Aki.” 

“Ro Ro is really nice and pretty, and she makes plants grow, and she cuddles with me, and she kisses and cuddles daddy cause you can’t anymore.” he says. 

I watch him for a second. 

“That’s right buddy.” I nod. 

“I think Ro Ro loves me too.” he says. 

“I know Ro Ro does.” I put a hand on his shoulder. 

He crosses his arms. “I’m going to be an x-man, mommy,” he says. “With Nate and Laura. We have our own troop. They call us ‘x babies’ even though we’re big kids.” 

“You are big kids.” I agree. Bigger anyway. 

“We saved all the kids at the base. It was really scary and I had to go into the outside. I got trapped under the building when it exploded because the bad man didn’t want to be caught and blew it up.” 

Self-destruct buttons in real life. It’s more common in this line of work than you would think. Honestly, it seems like some kind of cheesy movie trope. But nah. They actually use that shit. 

I know for a fact that neither Romulus or Sinister would have pushed that button. Too many subjects. I’m betting it was Killbrew. Weapon X was always big and rigging things to explode when shit went south. 

“They broked my arms and my inside organs,” he says. “I thought I was gonna die.” 

You did die. Oh my god. You did. 

It’s when I could have used her the most. 

Aki turns to me. “I think it’s time to go inside now.” He tells the statue. “I love you, mommy. But the outside makes my tummy all knotty and I feel like I’m going to throw up.” 

“Okay, buddy.” I lean down and offer my arms to him. He wraps his arms around my neck and lets me pick him up. 

“Bye bye mommy!” he waves. 

“Bye bye mommy,” I repeat. 

The walk back is almost peaceful. I set him back inside the door and he runs across the room to the fridge- knowing the next part of this little tradition of ours. 

“Chocolate.” he says when I shut the door. 

I reach up into the cabinet and pull down a bag of fun sized candy bars. 

“Which type of chocolate?” 

“Snickers?” 

I dig through the bag in the dark and find one. “Here you go, buddy.” 

Aki eats his treat and then sits on the floor. 

“Being five is making me tired.” he yawns. 

“Yea?” I look at the oven clock. “It’s half past twelve now.” 

“Wow. That’s late.” he gasps. 

“Yup.” I grin. “You want to go back to Ro Ro’s room?” 

He nods. “Will you sleep with us?” 

We should just give me and Ro a master bedroom and be done with it. But that’s just me. 

We’re not married. And he gave me and Itsu’s room to someone else. 

Not that I minded. You can’t go away for four years and then expect everything to stay the same. 

“I’ll sleep in my room tonight, buddy. I don’t wanna wake anyone up.” 

He pouts, but nods. “Okay.” 

I take his hand and lead him back up the stairs to Ro’s room, pushing on the door ever so gently to put him back in bed. 

I’m surprised to see a light on. Just a bedside lamp. Ro is sitting up reading a book. 

“There they are.” She says quietly. 

“We went to see mommy!” Aki runs over to her. 

“You did?” Ro smiles. 

“In your garden!” 

“You went outside Aki?” she says enthusiastically. 

He nods. “Once a year. I’ll go outside once a year to see mommy.” 

“That’s still wonderful.” 

Aki takes her hand. “I asked mommy if it was okay to have two mommies,” he whispers. 

“You did?” she whispers back. 

He nods. “She said ‘yes’.” 

Ro grins. “That’s wonderful, Aki.” 

“So you can be my mommy too, Ro Ro.” He whispers again. “I won’t call you mommy though because that’s mommy’s name.” 

“That’s okay sweetheart.” she’s practically glowing. She looks over his head. “You must be exhausted.” 

I nod. “Yea. It’s been a lot of fun.” 

“Let me tell you about fun.” Ro shakes her head. “Traffic in the city was completely insane. People lose every drop of their humanity when you put them behind the wheel of a car.” 

“Oh?” 

She nods. “Bobby said to check out a toy store he knew for some of Aki’s presents. It was rather large and we got more than enough-“  
  
“Presents!!!” Aki jumps up and down. 

She nods. “But the crowds were despicable.” 

“Thanks, darlin’,” I say. “I really owe you one.” 

She smiles. “You owe me several…. I’ll set you up a repayment plan in the following days.” 

I chuckle. 

“Everyone go back to bed.” Laura groans. “s bedtime.” 

Ro leans over and kisses her head. “Daddy just got home,” she says. “He wanted to come say goodnight.” 

“Goodnight daddy.” She doesn’t look up. 

“Goodnight sweetheart.” 

“Sleep in here!” Aki motions to the bed. “Daddy sleep in here!” 

“Yes, Logan.” Ro agrees. “You’re already here. We’ll make room.” 

Ro is situated by her nightstand to the left of the bed, with Laura tucked in beside her. There’s more than enough room for me and Aki. 

“I guess.” 

Aki jumps up and down again. “Daddy is sleeping in Ro Ro’s bed!” He runs and jumps on the bed, squirming under the covers, finding Dragon, and placing his head on one of the several pillows. “Right here, daddy.” He pats the bed beside him. 

I kick off my boots and pull my shirt off. If there weren’t munchkins I’d take the jeans off… but as is, I’ll just have to get over it. 

Ro’s mattress is a bit too soft. Just a bit. 

Laying down is like laying on a cloud. 

“It’s my birthday!” Aki says. 

“It is.” Ro agrees. “And it’s going to be a very good birthday.” 

“It’s going to be a very good birthday!” he repeats. 

“Sure is, buddy.” 

Ro turns out the light and everyone goes quiet. Well- almost everyone. 

Aki is twitching. 

“Aki?” I ask in what I hope is a patient tone. 

“Hmm?” 

“What are you doing buddy?” 

Aki giggles. “I’m dancing.” 

“In bed?” 

“Uh hmm.” 

“How about you go to sleep instead?” 

“It’s my birthday,” he says. “Birthday boys get to dance wherever they want.” 

“The birthday boy can dance in the morning.” I chuckle. 

He goes quiet but he’s still twitching. 

“Aki?” 

“Just my foot is dancing!” he says. 

“Buddy you gotta go to sleep now.” 

He goes still for a minute. I think he’s going to sleep- 

Suddenly his little hand shoots up and does almost a disco point. Up and down, up and down. 

“Aki.” I try again. “What are you doing?” 

“I’m doing disco fingers.”  He looks over at me and grins. “Like this.” He takes his index finger, puts it on his hip, and then does this little shimmy thing that makes him twist is hips and ‘disco point’. 

“Where’d you learn to do that?” 

“Youtube.” 

“Youtube- huh?” I chuckle. 

He points a few more times. 

“Aki no more disco,” I tell him. “Go to bed now.” 

“I wanna dance.” He pouts. 

“We can dance tomorrow- at your party.” 

“Wanna dance now.” He crosses his arms. 

I groan. “If I let you dance will you go to sleep?” 

He nods quickly. “I’ll go to sleep daddy, I promise.” 

I don’t believe him- but what the hell. I dig into my pocket and grab my phone. “What music do you want?” 

“Disco music!” 

“Aki- no.” I laugh. “No disco music.” 

“Disco music!” he insists. “I want to boogie!” 

“‘Boogie’?” I grin at him. 

“Boogie!” he nods. “So play disco music.” 

“I don’t have any disco music,” I admit. 

“Look it up on Youtube.” He nods again. “Please daddy. Please play disco music so I can boogie.” 

“Okay, buddy.” I sigh. “Come on.” I roll out of bed and offer him my hand. 

“Where are we going?” 

“Downstairs so we don’t wake anyone up.” I wiggle my hand. “Come on birthday boy. Let’s go dance.” 

Aki beams ear to ear and latches onto my hand, running in front and pulling me down the hall. 

“Dance party!” he shouts. 

“Aki- shhh.” 

No one seems to have heard him. 

We go back to the kitchen and he waits by the light switch- which he can’t reach. 

I flip it on and set my phone on the kitchen counter, opening up the Youtube app and searching for the most generic ‘disco’ songs I can find. 

I mean- seriously. Disco died for a reason. This shits annoying as hell. 

When the music starts, Aki starts to point and wiggle and stomp his feet- just having a good time. 

I lean against the counter and watch him. 

When the song goes off- he looks at me with puppy dog eyes. 

“One more.” I go to the next song. 

He points and wiggles and stomps once more. It’s adorable. 

The songs about to go off when a visitor sneaks into the kitchen. Aki doesn’t notice him yet- but Nate’s not hiding that well. 

“Nate,” I say over the music. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?” 

Nate shakes his head stubbornly. “Is Aki having a dance party?” 

“Yes!” Aki cries. “Come dance, Nate!” 

Nate runs to the center of the floor and starts to spin in circles. 

“No Nate. It’s disco music.” Aki nods to the phone. “Like Kitty showed us.” 

“Oh right!” Nate giggles. “Disco.” He demonstrates a grander ‘point’ than Aki, which amazes him. 

“We’re not dancing anymore guys- that was the last song.” 

Nate frowns. “No, it wasn’t.” 

“Yes, it was,” I argue. 

“No, it wasn’t.” He waves his hand in front of my face. 

I keep my groan internal. “You’re not a Jedi, Nate.” 

“Not yet I’m not.” he grins. “But Jedi’s are basically telepaths.” 

I’ll give him that one. 

“One more song daddy?” Aki begs. “Nate just got here.” 

I look down at the clock. 1 AM. 

“One more song.” I hold up a finger. “Just one.” 

“Yes!!” Nate jumps up and down. 

I play “Night Fever” which I’m sure is what something that they’ll like- I’ll hate it. But they’ll get to point a lot. 

The two of them stand side by side and start their little dance. 

Halfway through they start to sync up. I’m willing to bet at least twenty bucks that Nate’s using his telepathy. 

“Night fever!” Nate pumps his hand in the air. “We’re disco legends!” 

“You must certainly are.” Jean’s voice surprises me. 

She and Rachel come walking into the kitchen, hand in hand. 

“Did we wake you?” 

She shakes her head and yawns. “No. Rachel needs her juice. She’s had a stomach virus the last few days and keeps dehydrating.” 

“Nate and Aki are dancing,” Rachel says, starting to bounce in her spot. 

“They are baby girl.” Jean lets go of her hand. “Let’s get your juice.” 

She walks over to the fridge and starts pouring out some Pedialyte. 

“Nate I said you could wait up until daddy got home. I thought he came to see you.” 

“He did.” Nate nods. “But there was tomfoolery afoot.” 

Tomfoolery afoot. Wonder where he could have possibly gotten that from. 

Rachel toddles over to her brother and watches for a second. 

“Dance with me, Nate.” She offers him her hand. 

Nate goes about showing her how to ‘disco’. 

“Disco?” Jean retrieves a sippy cup with purple dinosaurs on it- Rachel refuses ‘girly’ things-  and pours some of the ‘juice’. 

“He said Kitty showed it to them?” I watch her for a second. “You gonna give her all that?” 

Jean nods. “Henry told me how much to give her.” 

Hank is our go to guy and all- but he ain't a pediatrician. 

“So Kitty showed them disco.” Jean nods, twisting the top to the sippy cup into place. 

Rachel’s joined the boys, but instead of pointing- to their dismay- she’s jumping. 

“No Rachel.” Aki whines. “You have to point. It’s disco.” 

“She’s a little too little to get the dance sweetheart,” Jean calls over to him. 

Rachel does three big jumps. 

“I’m wearing my bunny suit!” 

Her words are still in that ‘barely understandable’ phase.

“Bunny suit?” 

She’s wearing strawberry PJS. 

Jean shrugs. “She says that’s her bunny suit.” 

“That’s not a bunny.” Aki whines. 

“She’s weird like that,”  Nate says. He holds his hand towards the counter and the phone starts to drift towards him. 

“Not your phone, Nate.” I grab it out of the air before he drops it. 

“I’m trying to change the song!” he whines. 

“No more songs- remember?” 

“But we just started to boogie.” Aki pouts. “It’s my birthday dance party.” 

Jean gives Rachel her sippy cup. 

“Logan, just let them dance a little while longer.”  Jean pulls out her phone as well. “It’s prime blackmail material for when they’re older.” 

“I’m older today!” Aki bounces in his spot. 

“Dance party!” Nate fist pumps. 

“Dance!” Rachel adds. 

“I thought I heard a party down here,” Ro says from the doorway, walking in wiping sleep from her eyes. 

“We wake you too?” I ask. 

She shakes her head. “You weren’t in bed, though. Thought I should investigate.” 

“Ro Ro- we’re dancing!” Aki runs over and grabs her hand, pulling in into the center of the room. 

“Dance!” Rachel repeats. 

“Me?” Ro points at herself. 

“Yes!” Aki shows her his best point. 

“Disco is it?” Ro smiles. 

“Mommy dance!” Rachel points. 

“Honey-“ 

“Mommy dance!” Rachel repeats. 

“Ro Ro dance with me!” Aki reaches his hands up to her. 

“Okay.” She takes his hands. “Music?” 

“Boogie Wonderland,” Nate says with a nod. “That’s the one we need.” 

“Mommy dance!” Rachel points with both hands now. 

Jean sighs. 

“Why is everyone in the kitchen?” Laura’s voice joins our little party. 

“Dance party!” Aki is beaming. 

 “I like to dance.” Laura smiles too. 

“Disco dance party!” Nate adds. 

“I can do disco.” 

I start the song up. The kids form their line of ‘disco’. Aki dances with Ro- her doing these little half steps, half dancing, half shuffling from foot to foot- Jean dances with Rachel who decides to do several more bunny hops. Laura dances with Nate. It’s a sight- that’s for sure. 

The song goes off and everyone stares at me.  
  
“What?” I ask. “It’s over.” 

“One more?” Laura asks. 

“Sweetheart-“  
  
“Play that one again!” Aki jumps up and down. 

I groan. “None of you are going back to bed- are you?” 

The kids all shake their heads while the two women smile. 

I look around the room at all of those eyes staring at me. 

“Disco dance party it is, then.” I hit the replay button and they all start dancing again. 

“Daddy you’re the best!” Aki cries, letting go of Ro and running to the center of the room, doing his best ‘disco moves’. 

I’m the best. That’s always nice to hear. 

This night is a lot different than the one five years ago. A lot. 

Not a tear to be found. 

We like to celebrate life. Sure, this is stemming from a bad situation- but it wasn’t all bad. We had Aki. I protected him. I got to give him all the love that I wanted when I was kid. And then some. I get to help him become an adult. 

“Best daddy ever!” Laura cries. 

It’s good to know that they think that. 

I can finally be the best there is at something that doesn’t involve bloodshed. I’m not saying I do everything right- or I know things others don’t. It’s just in their eyes- I’m the best. And that’s really all I need to focus on right now. 

I’m sure we’ll get to the teenager stage where they hate me for being too controlling or some fucked up shit- but right now? Right now we’re good. 

In stories there are subplots. Things that run along the side of other things- bringing it all back together. A good example of this is in TV shows. 

The subplot builds up the main plot without being directly tied to it. 

Subplots make for interesting TV- but I’m not quite sure how it works in real life. 

I feel like everything is sort of a subplot right now. Like it’s all adding up to something I can’t quite see at the moment. It’s weird, to say the least- but I kinda don’t wanna know anyway. 

If it is building up- it’s not happening tonight. 

SO I can stay in this moment for now and worry about the what comes next later.  
  
Maybe something happens- maybe it doesn’t. Who knows? 

All I know is that right now- we’re having a disco dance party. Tomorrow we’ll have a birthday party. And then, after that- I’ll figure the rest of this shit out. 

With a plan like that- what could go wrong? 

 

 


	13. There will be climaxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very upsetting material ahead.  
> Violence- cannon typical.  
> Sorry in advance! Keep reading though! It's all I can say about that.  
> Thanks so much for reading and commenting and leaving kudos. Really it's encouraged me to keep up writing and helped me reach a conclusion for this story in record time!

Today’s gone well. We danced. We ate cake. We played games. He got a shit ton of presents. He ate his favorite food for supper- all in all the birthday boy is now exhausted.

“Squirtle loves Dragon.” Aki is telling me. “Dragon loves Tony.” He shows me his new fish. “Dragon loves everyone!” He scoops up all his toys- the stuffed mass flowing over his little arms.  
   
He got a lot of stuffed things today.  
   
“Daddy- William the turtle would like to formally request kisses.”  
   
His tone and words make me burst out laughing. “Where’d you learn to talk like that?”  
   
“William the turtle is British.”

“Oh, he is?”  
   
“Kisses?” He holds the large turtle to me, using both hands. Ro may have over done it on the size of things.  
   
I kiss the turtle on its plushy head. “Now me!” Aki says.  
   
I kiss him on his head.  
   
“Now dragon!”  
   
This continues for a long five minutes.

“All your toys kissed?” I ask, observing him in my arms. We’re curled up on the floor, him on my chest.

“Yes.” He snuggles in my arms. “All my toys are kissed.”

“And the birthday boy?”  
   
“He’s kissed too.”

“Okay.” I grin. “Birthday boy, I love you so much,” I tell him.

“I love you too daddy.” he grins.

I hug him tightly.  
   
My boy. Nothing can steal this away from me.  
   
A piece of her, a piece of me, and his own person all wrapped up into one little package.

I turn to his sister, fixing her bed up for the night. “Love you too big girl.”  
   
Laura grins. “Love you too daddy.”  
   
“Did you have fun today?”  
   
She nods. “The cake was really good.”

“I’m glad you liked it.” I stand up and watch the two of them. “Get your things and get into bed, Aki,” I tell him.  
   
He picks up his ‘school’ of fish ( he’s easily got six or seven now), turtle, Squirtle, crab, dinosaur, and lizard, and hauls them all into the bed.

I tuck him and his toys in, watching him hold them close and snuggle. It’s cute.

“Get lots of sleep okay guys?” I tell them.  
   
They nod.

“You’ve got class tomorrow,” I tell them.

“We’re gonna learn how to paint with brushes!” Aki says happily.

“That sounds awesome,” I say, I walk over to Laura and kiss her head. “You’re going to have fun in class too,” I tell her. “I think you’re going on a field trip.”

She grins. “To the city!”

“Yep.” Good luck with that one Ro. I smile at the thought of it. She teaches the ‘younger’ big kids- eight through ten. Kitty’s four through eight. Rogue’s ten through fifteen. Jean’s fifteen through eighteen. Scott and the professor teach college level courses, mainly to the other x-men.   Chuck insists that everyone get an education. For what good it does. He’s offered that I take classes several times. I can’t stop laughing long enough to answer him.  
   
“Daddy, Dragon wants another kiss.”

He holds the fish out to me.  
   
“Dragon needs a bath,” I note. “He’s got icing on him.”

“He’s saving it for later,” Aki says.  
   
“Saving it for-“ When I get closer there is a distinctly sweet, sugary smell. “Aki- do you have cake in your bed?”

Aki nods with a smile. “I’m saving it for later.”

“No, son. We don’t eat in the bedroom.” I shake my head. “Where’s it at?”  
   
Aki frowns. “If I tell you will you take it?”

“Yes, Aki,” I say patiently. “I’m taking it. You’re not gonna eat cake in your bedroom at bedtime.”

“Then I don’t have cake.” He crosses his arms.  
   
“Aki- I smell cake.”

“Your nose is broked.”

“My nose is fine.” I walk to his bed and reach behind his pillow, finding a mess of icing and crumbs. “Aki…” I groan.  
   
“It’s for my toys,” he says. “In case they got hungry.”

“Toys eat plastic food- remember?” I motion to his toybox. “That’s what it’s there for.”

“They wanted sugar.”

“Aki that’s gross,” Laura says. “I’m not cleaning that up.”

“But you’re the cleaning fairy!”

“Your sister is not a cleaning fairy,” I say flatly.

“Yes, she is!”

“I’m not cleaning up bed cake.” Laura crosses her arms. “I’m going to bed.”

“You don’t have to clean it up,” he says almost patiently. “Because William the turtle, Squirtle, Sammy, Dragon, Peter, Carl, Tony, Billy, Philadelphia, Angus, Gertrude, and Roy are gonna eat it.”  
   
I’ll never keep up with these names.

“Your toys are not gonna eat the cake.” I shake my head.  
   
“They are!” He insists. “William the turtle told me so.”

“William the turtle told you to put cake in the bed?”  
   
“He told me to put cake in the bed,” he says. “He also told me to open the window.” He swings his legs outta bed and walks to the window. “Like this.”

“No buddy.” I close the window. “Sleep with it closed.”

“No daddy,” He opens it again. “William the turtle would like for you to open it.”

“William the turtle will sleep with the window closed.”

“Leave it closed Aki.” Laura pleads. “I don’t feel safe with it open.”

“See?” I say patiently. “Your sister wants it closed.”

Aki frowns. “Okay. But William the turtle will not be happy.”  
   
I hate this toy already. In fact, I don’t really remember Ro saying she bought a turtle. It may have been one of the others- but I think everyone else got him a fish. I don’t remember there being any turtle.

“William the turtle will get over it.” William has a title. None of the other toys got titles.  
   
I know it’s weird- I know it is. But I don’t like this toy. I find it creepy. I don’t remember buying it. I don’t remember anyone giving it to him, in fact.

“Buddy- where did that toy come from?”

He smiles. “A box.”  
   
“What kind of box?”

“One by the door on the inside.”

Did we leave one back there?  
   
Sometimes we leave presents laying around on accident while preparing for the party.

“William the turtle asked if he could come inside with all my other toys.”

That’s… odd.   “Can I see William the Turtle?” I ask.  
   
“Are you mad at him because he wants the window open?” Aki asks quietly.

“No buddy. I think he’s broken.”  
   
“Broked?” Aki gasps. “But he’s new!”

“It’s a tiny little tear.” I lie. “You can’t see it. I’m gonna get Ro Ro to fix him.”

Aki frowns. “Okay, daddy.” He passes over the turtle. It feels… heavy.

My mind is on alert immediately. Something is in this.

I kiss the kids again and turn their light off, mind heavy.

When their doors closed, I put the turtle up to my ear, listening. There’s something mechanic in it. Something whirring. Like…. a recorder.

Fuck. I forgot the bed cake.  
   
Inside the room, Aki is talking. “Go to sleep,” I tell him through the door.

William the turtle makes a louder whirring noise.  
   
I pop a claw and run it along the seam of the toy- if I’m wrong and there’s nothing to be worried about, we can stitch him back together. If I’m right……

I stick my finger inside the toy, moving aside his fluff. There’s definitely something hard in here. Something metal. Something-  
   
It’s a recorder.

The toy is bugged.  
   
Who the fuck bugs a toy??  
   
I head for Slim’s room as fast as I can.

On the way there, Nate is running to the windows and pounding on the glass.  
   
“Daddy look!” He yells. “Daddy- please. Look!”

“Nathan,” Scott comes out of his bedroom. “It’s bed time. Come on.”

“They’re in the pool house! On the back lawn!”

“Who’s in the pool house?” I ask.

Scott sighs. “He’s having a bad dream.”

“I’m awake!” He insists. “Daddy- look!”

“Nathan-“

Jean comes down the hall, quickly. “Logan- where are the kids?”  
   
“In their room- why?”  
   
“Go get them.” She orders, taking off at a run. “Scott hold onto Nathan and Rachel!” She calls behind her.

We run back to the kid's room, hearing screaming as we get closer.  
   
I burst into the room.  
   
“Daddy!” Laura’s thrown over some man in black tactical gear’s shoulder. Aki’s nowhere to be seen.  
   
“Daddy please!” She cries, the man’s edging out the window.

I run in and grab her hand, trying to pry her away from the man.

“You picked the wrong house dick head,” I growl, taking my free hand and stabbing him- repeatedly. It’s not phasing him.  
   
He pulls Laura through the window, with me still attached. Fuckers strong.

“Daddy!” Aki cries from the lawn. “Daddy help! It’s the outside!”

“Don’t let me go!” Laura has tears in her eyes. She’s stabbing the man too.

“Let her go!” I growl, finally taking his head.   He stops moving, falling to the ground and releasing her.   “Get behind me, baby,” I tell her. “Okay? Stay at my back.”  
   
Towards the back gate, a similar man has Aki in his arms. I can’t get there fast enough.   I jump straight into him, going for his gut.  
   
He falls to his knees, dropping Aki.   “Go to your sister!” I order him. He’s frozen in his spot. “Aki go!” There are more men storming the gate. “Aki move!”  
   
He finally takes off running.   I defend the gate as best I can. Only stopping when I hear the kids start to scream again.  
   
I turn around and everything freezes.

“Logan.” He smirks. “Children are such… such useful things.” In one hand he’s got Aki lifted in the air. In the other, he’s got Laura held by her hair.

Romulus has been my enemy since before I was born- practically. He’s weeded through my family for generations. I don’t know what we did to piss him off or gain his interest, but we’ve lost too many to him.  
   
He’s large. Largest man I’ve ever seen. All muscle. Immovable.  
   
Poison resistant. Healing factor. Claws. And about two thousand years of fighting knowledge to back it all up.

He wears his usual ‘better than the world’ attitude.   He’s just like the kids described him- big, long hair, pointy ‘points’, pointed teeth- their nightmare. Here.  
   
And he’s got them good.

“Put them down,” I growl.  
   
Romulus is unfazed. “Can you imagine my displeasure when I realized you’d settled for this life? Weapon X. A father. It’s laughable really.”   

“Daddy!” Laura groans in pain. “His points hurt!”  
   
“That they do.” He chuckles. “Very observant little girl.”   Aki squirms in the air.

“This one,” He gives him a shake. “Is young enough. Programming can still take.” He grips Laura tighter. “This one would make a certain scientist very happy.”

“Put me down!” Aki cries. “I wanna go inside!”

“This is a nightmare!” Laura grunts. “I want to wake up now!”

“I’m coming!” I tell them. “Daddy’s gonna be right there!”

“Oh yes. Let’s see if ‘Daddy’ can save you.” Romulus smirks. “He couldn’t save your mommies. Let's see him fail.”

“What do you want?” I growl.  
   
“I want my weapon back.” He smirks. “I didn’t have your pitiful excuse for a wife murdered so you could play house by yourself. These abominations,” He looks at the kids. “Are not meant to be.”

“Put them down.” I step closer. “I won’t tell you again.”

“I’ll put them down.” He says. “I will. Right after….”   Suddenly someone stabs me through the back, right through my chest. It’s some kind of spear- harpoon looking thing.  
   
“That.”

I fall to my knees. I break the head off with my hand and pull it out, spilling blood down my back.   It’s not the worst I’ve hurt- but it sure as fuck doesn’t tickle.

“Daddy!” Aki is sobbing. “Daddy get up! Please! I wanna go inside!” Tears are streaking down his face. “Daddy I wanna go inside!”

“Shh,” Romulus says to him.  
   
I fight through the pain, lunging at him.    Another knife is stuck through my neck.

“Daddy get up!” he’s crying. “Please daddy!”

I keep getting closer, only to be turned into a human pin cushion. I can’t…

I can’t get to them.

My vision is going spotted.

I must have like ten spears through me- mostly in my guts.

“Aki-“ I reach out to him, “Laura-“  
   
Something hits my spine, momentarily paralyzing me. I can’t move.  
   
Fuck I can’t move- I can’t-  
   
There’s a crack of lightening- loud and bright. It hits right in the center of the yard- not five feet from me. “Put the children down you monster.” Ro lands in the yard hands a glow. “I will not tell you again.”

The men behind me are pushed back by a gust of wind.

“Woman- I don’t think I recall asking for your input.”

“Put my children down,” Ro snarls. “Or I will make you.”

“A new mommy?” Romulus grins. “Why Logan- you’ve made this too easy.”

“Put them down!” she orders.

“Make me,” he growls.  
   
“Fine.” She slams her hand down, making a gust of wind that knocks him off his feet. The kids scramble away from him, running behind Ro’s legs.

“Aki, Laura,” Ro looks them over. “Darlings- stay behind me.”

I’m not healing fast enough. I force myself to my knees.

“A weather witch.” Romulus grins, “You’re stronger than I thought.” he lunges at her, moving past all of her defenses.   Ro’s great at hand to hand- but he’s bigger than her. He towers over her, claws drawn. Ro can’t hold him off.

She electrocutes him a few times, pushes him off balance- he slashes her face with his claws, forcing her to the ground with the momentum.  
 “Ro!”

She pulls herself to her hands and knees. “You beast.” She growls, dripping blood. She calls down a bigger lightning bolt, stunning him.  
   
“Come here- kids.” I open my arms. “Come here.” Aki and Laura run to me- only to be snagged up in a net a few feet away from me.  
   
“RO!”  
   
She looks as the net is lifted in the air. I grab it, pulling them back down.  
   
“Don’t let go!” Laura says breathlessly. “Please daddy- don’t let go!”

I hold on as tightly as I can, but the netting seems to be attached to a wire- wire that’s being pulled into the air.

“I got you, baby.” I tell her, “I’m not letting go.”  
   
“I don’t want to be a letter!” Aki is inconsolable.  
   
Where are the others? I can’t see what’s happening to Ro, but it doesn’t sound good.

“Argh!” Below me, she tries to take flight- but he grabs her by the foot and slams her into a tree.   She gets up- he knocks her down. She pushes- he pushes back.  
   
She can’t hold him off…. and because of me- she’ll be his sole target.

Several more flashes of lightning fall from the sky. The wind picks up and whips us around in the air.

Romulus snarls, having been struck by the remains of a tree she’s whipped into a cyclone.  
   
The yard has become a battleground- trees, bushes, lightning from the sky, rain- it looks like a god damn natural disaster.

I can barely move with all these ‘spears’ sticking through me- but it’s becoming secondary.

I take my claws and start trying to saw the net.

The netting is a wire that’s almost uncuttable.

It starts to grow hot.  
   
“What’s happening??” Laura gasps.

“Hold on-“ I grit my teeth. “Hold on for me!”  
   
The netting is impossibly hot. I know it’s hurting them.

As it reaches a point where I know it’s making marks, there’s a sudden zap- It’s so forceful that My hands are loosened from the netting, dropping me back to the ground.

“No!” I fall to the ground with a dull thud,

“Ro- the kids!”

She turns to the sky, creating a bigger cyclone- whipping up the air underneath the chopper.  
   
“Woman you’ve proven to be most vexing,” Romulus stubs her through the gut- making her slump to her knees. The cyclone dies down instantly.

“Ororo!” I’m torn between staring at her- and staring at the chopper. There’s no way I can get up there. I’m screaming through my head for help- but everyone’s busy.

 From a clip Jean sent through my mind, we were attacked from three other points as well.

“Ro!”   She’s a bloody mess on the ground, barely able to raise her head.

“Ro!”

Romulus steps over her. “Your children.” he points to where they’ve gone. “Or your woman.”  
   
“Where are they going?” I demand.  
   
Romulus impales me with his claws, dragging them through my guts.

“Log-“ Blood pools from Ro’s mouth. She reaches her hand up- calling down one more bolt of lightning. It misses. She can’t see where she’s throwing it.

Romulus grabs me by the neck, picking me up and strangling me.

“Logan!” Ro’s head doesn’t move- her eyes are wide.

  “Get off him!” A little voice comes out of nowhere- fast and loud. Romulus is pushed back from me, sliding in the dirt by some invisible force.  
   
He drops me suddenly.  
   
I look up and can’t find the chopper or the kids- only sky.  
   
Rolling onto my side, I try to catch my breath. What made him drop me? What-

  “Go away!” The tiny voice repeats. “You are a bad man! And bad men aren’t welcome here- mommy said so!”

“Nate no!” I yell at him. “Go back inside!”

“Tell me where you took my troop!” He demands- both hands out in front of him, using as much power as he can to keep the man down.

“Brave little one.” Romulus chuckles, pushing back.

  Nate starts to slide through the dirt. “No!”

“Nathan!” Jean screams.  
   
“Mommy?” Nate is distracted for a minute, dropping the telekinesis- Romulus rushes him, picking him up by the neck and throwing him head first into the building.  
   
“Nate!”

A cord drops into the yard from overhead. Romulus grabs it in one hand.  
   
“I thank you for your contribution to science and such.” He mocks. “The girl will be put to great use. As for your little Daken…. well we’ll just see about him- won’t we?” He’s lifted before I can grab him.   Nate’s down. Ro’s bleeding out. The Yard’s a mess of bodies and damage.  
   
“Nathan!” Jean rushes to him. “Baby- baby-“ She picks him up and he curls in on himself.

“My troop.” His hand reaches up towards the sky. “Mommy my troop.”

“I know baby.” She cradles him. “I know. We’ll find them- okay?”  
   
Ro groans from the ground.  
   
I don’t know what to do.   I don’t…   She would know what to do.

I can’t process this.   I don’t have a stored emotion.  
   
I don’t have a stored response.

“Ro,” I lean over her, pushing hair back from her face.  
   
“The children,” She gasps. “Where-“  

 “I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I don’t-“   She tries to get to her knees- but falls.

“Ro-“   

She tries three more times, before landing face first on the lawn. “I can’t-“ She coughs up a stream of blood.  
   
“She needs medical attention!” Jean calls. “They both do. Hurry!”  
   
That snaps me out of my daze.

I lift Ro into my arms, running until I find Hank. She’s heavy- almost dead weight.

“Darlin’ hold on,” I say quietly. “Hold on- gimme one more minute. One more minute-“ I slam the lights on in the medical bay. “Hank!!!”

“Good heavens.” He gasps, running in. “What’s happened?”

  “She’s bleeding out.” I feel like I’m in shock. “We’ve been attacked.”  
   
Again.  
   
It’s like I can’t relax even for a second.  
   
I knew I should have killed him. I knew I should have done it.  
   
Chuck shouldn’t have stopped me. I shoulda left the hospital and tracked him the fuck down.

“And the children?” Hank asks quietly.

  “Gone.” I don’t cry much- but I feel close to it. I run my hand through my hair. “They’re gone.”

“We’ll find them.” He promises. “Put her on the table.”

Ro’s bleeding from pretty much everywhere. Her clothes have been ripped open. She’s baring more skin than she’d be comfortable with. I almost want to cover her up.

 “There’s been internal damage,” Hank says, pulling on a pair of gloves.

“Hank-“

  “Go find Scott.” He orders. “You need to find your children.”

Aki- poor Aki. And Laura- she’s braver than he is- just because she’s older.   That doesn’t mean she wasn’t scared as hell. I could smell it on her. I could hear it in her voice. I failed them. He told me I would- and I did.

I failed. Of all the times-

“Ororo you’ll have to forgive me,” Hank says lowly, “But we’re about to become quite intimate.”

He rips her clothes with one hand, starting to clean wounds and apply pressure.

“Ro-“

  “To Scott!” Hank demands. “Go!”

“Is she-“

  “GO!” He runs to the side of the room and brings the needed materials for stitches.

Ro’s on the table- her breathing is labored. I think she may have passed out.   I hope she’s passed out. I know how much that woman can take- I do. She’s a hell of a fighter. She’d kick my ass if she knew I ever doubted her. But fuck. I don’t think she can take this much damage. She attacked him head on. She didn’t even flinch.

“Logan”. My head- my head is-   “Logan!” I’ve run into Scott- literally.

“My kids-“

  “I know.” He says urgently. “Rogue’s following them.”  
   
Following them? “By?”   

“Flight.”  
   
That’s going to be exhausting. “She’s going to case them and tell us where they’ve gone.” He says. “Hopefully it won’t be too far.”

Hopefully?

“Look-“ Scott says, “You need to pick up a scent. Any scent. Now.”  
   
“Slim-“

  “NOW Logan.” He orders.

A whole hell of a lot of people are telling me what the fuck to do- and I don’t appreciate it.

“Look-“   Ro’s on the operating table. The kids are god knows where. He’s torn apart my family in a matter of moments.

This is the power he holds over me. He can swoop into my life and change it’s very course.   But fuck no. Not this time. I promised them they’d be safe from him. I  
PROMISED them he wouldn’t get them.  
   
My little girl is about to end up on the receiving end of some freaks scalpel. Like me.  
   
I think back to my time in Weapon X… trying to imagine what that would feel like to a child.  
   
I feel very close to puking and I can’t really put a finger on why.

“He’s got, my daughter.” Scott is saying. “Do you understand me? He’s got my two- year-old.”

The words barely register.  
   
“My two-year-old.” He repeats. “Scents.”   He’s coming in and out.

I find myself back in the kid's room.  
   
There’s still cake in Aki’s bed. Dragon is on the floor. His new toys are thrown to the side.  
   
Scents.   There is the same scent. As if there were only one person in here. But that's not right. There were several. Several soldiers. But they all smell the same.  
   
That’s impossible. Everyone has a different scent.

Unless… clones. They were clones.   That explains their lack of response to pain- slightly.

The window’s been blasted open.

A sudden rain falls.  
   
Part of me is wondering if that’s Ororo- crying.

I end up on the floor, in between their beds. Dragon in one hand, one of Laura’s books at my fingertips.

“Homme,” Remy’s voice is dark from behind me. “What are you gonna do?”

I look over my shoulder. “I’m gonna kill this bastard,” I say lowly. “I’m gonna kill him once and for all. Sinister too.”

Remy nods. “You’ll need backup.”

“This ain't an x-men mission- Remy.”

“I’m not going as an x-man.” He says. “I was trying to help Rachel- they snatched her out of my arms. They took a child from my arms.” His voice sounds hollow.“They ain't people. We don't have to show them a lick of mercy.”

I get a good look at him in the dark. His arm’s dislocated or broken- I can’t tell which.

“Chere’s gonna call me before she calls Scott,” he says. “So we can do what we gotta do.”

“Remy-“   

“We will do what we gotta do.” He repeats.  
   
I’m glad to have back up.  
   
“Where’s Chuck?”

“Cerebro.” He nods in a vague direction. “He doesn't know.”

“I’ll bet he does.”   He’s just not telling me what to do.

‘I think it best to let you tell yourself what to do.’ He whispers through my mind. ‘This is not something I am capable of guiding you through.’

“He knows,” I repeat.

“Is he gonna stop us?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

I look back to the room. It’s trashed now.

The storm picks up outside.

“It’s Ro,” I note him looking.

“I can’t tell what mood she’s in,” Remy says.

I watch the wind rip through the trees. “She’s devastated.”

“She should be taking it easy.”

The rain increases, flooding the grounds.

Ro’s upset.

“The only scent I’m getting is from the soldiers.”  
   
Because Romulus doesn’t leave shit behind.

Soldiers and.. cake.

“Bed cake,” I mumble, holding my head in my hands. “Bed cake.”

“What?”

“Bed cake.” I motion towards Aki’s bed. “He put cake in his bed for his toy…” The turtle! “The turtle!”

“What turtle??”

“Aki’s turtle-“ I push past him and run down the halls. Kids are everywhere, trying to figure out what’s going on. William the turtle is outside Scott’s room. Jean is inside crying- they don’t notice me.  
   
“We’ll find her,” Scott says, rubbing Jean’s shoulders. “We’ll find her.”

I pick up the discarded turtle and rip the recorder out of it. “Logan-“ Remy catches up. “The fuck? Why was that in the turtle?”

“Turtle was a gift from someone who wasn’t invited.” I brandish the recorder. “Maybe Hank can figure something out from it.”

“Maybe.”

“Jean,” Scott says from the room. “We’ll find her….”

  “My baby sister was taken.” Both Remy and I jump as Nate comes down the hall. “They stole her with Aki and Laura.”  
   
Why didn’t they take Nate?

“I was with daddy.” Nate stares at his shoes. “So they couldn’t get me.”

Because Scott could defend. Unlike me.

“Mommy is sad.” Remy and I can’t say shit. We don’t know how to calm him. Nate walks up and takes my hand. “Will you take care of the bad man so he can’t steal my baby sister anymore?” He looks up and he’s got tears in his eyes. “Please? With your points?”

“Nate,” Scott says from the door.

“I’m not a good commander.” The boy sniffs. “Because I was too scared.”

He didn’t look very scared when he charged Romulus.

“I’ll take care of him.” I look over his head at Scott. “All of them.”

Slim shakes his head. “Do what you have to.” He says after a long minute. “Come here, Nate.” Nate lets go and goes to his dad, letting him scoop him up and pull him close to his chest. Nate doesn’t cuddle. Ever.

“I’m sorry daddy.” He wraps his arms around Scott’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Scott soothes in his ear. “It’s okay… we’re gonna get them back.” He nods to me. “We’re gonna chase them down.”

“To the ends of the earth?” Nate sniffs.

“Farther,” I promise.

“Is Ro Ro gonna die?” His eyes are big and watery.  
   
Jean joins Scott, taking Nate’s hand in hers. “No baby.” She says. “Look,” She points out the window where the storm is raging. “Ro Ro’s alive.”

And upset.

I don’t know who to go to- Ororo or Cerebro.

“Go to Ororo.” Jean whispers. “The two of you need each other.”

Watching the little Summers family unit, I have to agree. We need each other right now.

In stories, there are things called ‘climaxes’. (Not the fun kind) Where the story reaches it’s most crucial point and wraps itself up.  
   
Climaxes are good for high school classes when they’re talking about Hamlet. Or The crucible.

In a real-life story, you can never tell when it’s reaching its climax.

The good thing about that, however, is that when it’s reached- things start to decrease. Everything builds up to a point and then slowly settle into something else.  
   
Hope is hard to find right now- but I know if anyone has it- it will be Ororo.

Right now, judging by the storm outside- I’d say she’s lost some of that hope.  
   
I don’t really know what I’m going to say to her when I see her- I might not say anything at all- but I know she needs me.   They need me.   I need them.

Our family unit is being stretched thin it’s-

  “Are you going to stare all night?” She croaks.  
   
“Darlin’ you should be resting.” I go to her side, watching her stare out the window. Lightning flashes across the sky. "Is Hank even done with you?" 

"As done as I'm willing to let him be." she says. "I will be fine." 

"He barely had time to stitch you up." 

"But he did." 

"You have internal damage." 

"He can deal with that later." 

"Ro-" 

  “It’s my fault,” she says lowly.  
   
“Ro-“

  “it’s my fault,” she repeats. “I couldn’t reach them.”

I couldn’t either.

“It’s his fault.” I sit on the med wing bed, taking her hands in mine. “Darlin’….”  
   
“I want him dead,” she says emotionlessly.

“I know baby.” I push some blood-soaked hair from her forehead.

“I will kill him myself.”  
   
“Remy and I-“ NO. She can’t go. Not in her condition.

“Remy and you are what?” She turns her head, I see tears in the darkness.

“We’re going after him,” I say after some deliberation.

Ro closes her eyes. “I’m going with you.”

I know I should tell her ‘no’ but-   “Ro-“

  “They took my children.” she hisses. “They took OUR children.”

“I know darli-“   

“This cannot stand. This is a threat. We should eliminate it.”

“We will." I promise.

She kisses my hand. “My love… I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” I squeeze her hand. “I’m sorry.”

Two sorry individuals.

Two angry individuals. Me? I’ve been referred to as a ‘force of nature’. Ro is a literal force of nature.

Things didn’t go well for us tonight- we were off guard.   Both of us pissed off and focused though?  
   
It’s gonna be a hell of a fight.


	14. There will be clones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This would have been out on time (A thousand apologies) but the formatting decided to fuck up all to hell. And my Grammarly (I type really fast and need to have a spell checker fix whatever I manage to mangle when I'm typing lol) decided not to fix spelling mistakes so I had to go through and manually fix them all. Becuase I type so fast... there were a fuck ton. 
> 
> Anywho. I hope y'all enjoy. This story won't have very many chapters after this one. However, I totally intend to do a one shot follow up in the future!  
> Thanks for reading!

“Nate,” Kitty says gently, “Nate-“  
  
Nate runs around the room uncontrollably.  
  
“Nathan-“  
  
“I’m securing the perimeter!” His usual phrase to get out of bed. But.. it’s not bed time. And he’s not joking. Kid’s been fucked up since yesterday. 

“Nate it’s time for class.” Kitty says, patting table with her hand. “Aki’s not here so we have to do something just for you.” 

“Don’t wanna.” Nate stops running, taking a moment to try to open the window. “Need nails.” He grunts. 

“Nate-“  
  
“You should let him go to his momma.” I tell her. “He ain't learning anything today.” 

“Scott pushed-“ 

  
“Scott’s a - “ I stop, looking at Nate. “D U M B A S S.” I spell. 

Nate doesn’t seem to catch on. 

“I told him-“ 

“Talk to Jean.” Ro says gently. “She’ll let him stay with her- she didn’t want him to leave this morning anyway.” 

Kitty nods, walking over to her desk and taking out her phone. 

“Can Peter paint me in camouflage?” Nate stops trying to pry the window open. “I wanna blend in.” 

Our little commander may have been a bit more… unsettled by the last few weeks than we thought. 

“Peter can paint you if you’d like.” Kitty agrees. “But you can’t touch anything.” 

Peter wasn’t here the other night. Neither was Kitty. It was date night. 

Kitty told me to come see some of Aki’s drawings. She said they might- and it’s a long shot- hold clues. She said he was drawing some weird stuff. Ro’s got a few of Laura’s as well. We’re going to ‘inspect’ them with Chuck. See if he can find anything we’re not thinking of. 

Nate stands on the ‘desk’- his table he shares with Aki- and peers out the window. “Too close.” He shakes his head. “We’re too close.” 

“Too close to what?” Ro asks gently. 

“Everything. If we were spread out they wouldn’t have found us by surprise. We woulda known they were here and had time to attack them.” 

“Nate-“ 

“It’s an all hands on deck situation- it’s a-“ He stops, staring at the door behind us. “Hi, daddy.” 

Scott stands in the doorway. “Not learning anything today, huh soldier?” 

He shakes his head. “There’s too much house to bad guy proof.” 

“Bad guy proof.” Scott repeats. “I see.” 

“I did do a worksheet.” he points down at his feet. “It’s about words.” 

Scott holds his hand out towards Nate. “Come on buddy. Let’s go do something else.” 

“Something else?” 

Scott nods. “Like watch TV.” 

“Watch TV????” Nate puts his hands on his hips, sounding floored by the very idea. “With all this bad guy proofing to be done???” 

 Scott walks in and picks Nate up, under his arms. “Come on Nate. We can watch whatever you want to watch.” 

“Daddy- the house!” Nate whines. 

He sounds a lot like Aki with outside and water. 

 “It’s gonna be okay.” Scott soothes. “Let’s go find mommy. We can all do something together.” 

 “Daddy,” He starts to sniffle.  
  
“I know buddy.” Scott pats his back and carries him off into the hall. 

 “Nate’s fucked up.” I say when they’re a good distance away. “He sounds like Aki after the incident in Tokyo.” 

 “Yea?” Kitty walks over and starts to dig through the folders by the whiteboard. “This is where we keep our drawings.” She pulls out a large stack from a blue folder. “These are Aki’s drawings.” She straightens up and sets them on the table. “Usually they draw and then tell me what they drew, show me, and then I write it on the back.” 

“Helpful.” Ro nods her head. “Wonderful idea.” 

 “Sometimes they want to show you guys but I can’t remember what they told me the drawings were and the kids get upset. So we write them on the back.” 

 “Folders full.” I point at it. 

“These are just for the past two weeks.” She smirks. “Last month's folder was even bigger.” 

 I pick up the folder and leaf through the scribbles. Lots of blobs. People formed out of circles with lines for hair. 

 There’s one with black and blue. I hold it out to her. “Water?” 

 “Yea… how’d you know?” 

“He’s being doing water pictures since the accident. They’re always the same.” 

Chuck’s tried to talk to him about it- but Aki doesn’t understand why he wants to know about it and always changes the subject. 

 “This is the bad man.” I flip to one, follow Kitty’s instruction. “See his teeth?” 

 “I see.” A thought comes to me. “Why was Aki so focused on his teeth?” 

 She frowns. “He told him that he came from wolves…. Aki was worried he was a werewolf.” 

 That makes me chuckle- but it’s a weird sort of thing. More anger driven than anything. 

 “He was afraid of getting bitten.” Kitty nods. “Because the man called him a ‘doggie’,” She makes quotation marks with her finger “and said he came from ‘wolf people’.” 

 He’s still selling that story?  
  
It’s complete bullshit. 

 I know it is. He knows it is. Why is he trying to indoctrinate my son into believing it? 

 Kitty flips to another page.  
  
This one a small blob with long black scribbles by its head and a large green line behind it. It’s surrounded by a bunch of bigger blobs with no hair. 

 “That’s Laura in her ‘fishy tank’,” Kitty says. “The cell they were in must have been near the room it was in. He said he could hear her crying.” 

 Crying. 

My girl barely ever cries. 

Fuck them. Fuck them for making her feel like this. Like some sort of science experiment that they can poke and prod whenever the mood strikes them. Something they can form into a mindless tool.  
  
I’ve been there. I know just how that shit feels. And to do it to a child?  
  
I saved her from that. I saved her from the tests and the blood and the pain. For them to resubject her to it after all my work? I don’t think so. 

 “My love,” Ro takes my hand, “You’re spacing off.” 

 Right. Back to the drawings. 

I glance at Ro. She’s stitched all to hell. The wounds are closing fast- thanks to Hank- and they’ll be no scars. Not that it would have made her any less beautiful. 

 “Laura had a similar drawing.” I nod towards the paper. “Back at the hospital.” 

When I promised her nothing would happen to her. 

 “This one is the bad man again.” Kitty shows me another picture- a big blob this time with red on its circular hands. 

“Blood?” 

 She nods. “He said he took his blood with a needle and looked at it- then he got mad and slashed him up.” 

 My boy. In his hands. 

He’s five. Five. 

He’s-  
  
“They’re in the pool house!” Nate screams running back into the room and grabbing my hand, tugging with all his might. “Pool house!” He repeats, grunting in effort. 

 “Nate- what are you doing?” 

“Pool house.” He repeats. “Take your points and go poke them!” 

 “Nate- shush baby.” Jean comes in after him, taking his hand away from me. “Shush.” She soothes, taking him into her arms. 

 “They’re here!” He repeats, starting to tear up. “I hear them- him. He got left behind. He was scared so he crawled into the pool house and he’s hiding. His radio is busted and he can’t call them anymore. Logan took off his leg and he’s bleeding a lot. The pool water is red because of it.” 

 I glance over at Jean. “That’s pretty specific.” 

 Ro walks over and takes Nate’s hands in hers. “You hear him… in your head?” 

Nate nods furiously. “In the pool house.” 

Jean sighs. “I’m not picking anything up.” 

 “We’ll go check,” Ro promises. “We’ll go make sure that no one is there.” 

 “I wanna go with you,” Nate says, breaking away from Jean and Ro, crossing his arms over his chest. “I wanna go.” 

 I look at Jean. “If you can’t hear anyone- there’s probably no one there. I don’t know why he couldn’t come.” 

 “Please, mom? It’s okay. Logan and Ro Ro are great back-up.” 

 Jean shakes her head. “I’ll come too. But I’m telling you, baby, no one is in that pool house.”

 Probably not. But if it makes the kid feel better- why not indulge him? 

 Kitty gathers the papers off of the table. “I’ll take these to the professor.” 

 Not knowing what we expect to find, we set off towards the pool house- across the back lawn. 

 The lawns still torn to hell- courtesy of Ro- and the sky is dark- also because of Ro. 

 Local news stations don’t know what to say about the weather. 

 Us here at the institute know better than to say anything at all. Ro keeps her emotions in check 99% of the time. But when she hits that 1%- fuck. Take shelter and pray you’re not the one who’s pushed her to her limit. 

 Hank told her to stick to the ground- but I woke up last night and saw her out the window. There was something heartbreaking about last night’s storm. Lightning, rain, wind. Thunder rolling. She doesn’t know what to do with herself. Or how to live with not saving them. 

I have a similar emotion. 

 The pool house is one of those places that’s wrecked almost beyond recognition.  
  
She shattered the glass on three of the four sides and ripping the roof off entirely. I’m guessing this happened in her huge ass cyclone. 

 We step over rubble and debris, stopping at what used to be the entrance- looking at a tiny bit of water under all the mess that’s floating in it. 

 “See Nate?” I motion around. “No bodies in here.” 

 “That’s because he’s hiding.” Nate huffs. 

 “He’s not hiding baby,” Jean says. “I don’t sense anyone.” 

 “That’s because you have mommy brain.” Nate puts his hands on his hips. “I have Nate brain. I hear stuff you don’t.” 

 Chuck has discussed the possibility that Nate could be stronger than Jean in time. With his recent ‘enhancements’ at the hands of Sinister, it is entirely possible she’s not hearing something that he can. 

 “Nate-“  
  
There’s a soft sound in the corner of the pool house- almost a groan. 

 “There.” Nate points in that direction, the rubble he’s pointing out glowing blue and lifting itself in the air to reveal a man in black tactical gear with a missing leg- like Nate said there would be. 

 “Holy fuck,” I mumble. 

 “Nate- get back.” Jean grabs him by the back of his shirt, hauling him behind us. “It could be a trap.” 

 “It’s not a trap!” Nate says. “They left him!” 

 “He’s probably got a tracer on him,” Ro says quietly. “Maybe a wire?” 

 “We can strip him.” I offer. 

 “If he’s been out here all this time- why hasn’t he bleed out yet?” Jean questions. 

“Because he’s got messed up genes.” Nate huffs. “He’s one of the white man’s clones- but they don't’ work so well for so long. He’s broked.” 

 “Broken,” Jean says absentmindedly. Correcting him is second nature to her and Scott. 

 “Broken.” He agrees. “Beat him up and make him tell you where they took everyone!” 

 The groan becomes a little more distressed. 

 I take a few steps forward, watching the man notice me, and try to scurry away. 

“Keep moving and I’ll take your other leg.” I growl, stepping down on his good leg and holding him in place. 

 “Now poke him!” Nate encourages. 

 I extend a single claw, putting it in his face. “Where are they?” 

 The man reaches up and takes his helmet off, revealing pasty skin and a bald head. “I don’t know man.” He gasps. “That man just picked me up, threw me in some genetic tank hormone growing whatever the fuck it was, threw a gun into my arms and pushed me out the door!” 

 Strange dialect for a clone…. 

 “Please.” The man begs. “Please- I don’t know anything. I only went where they told me to go.” 

 “His name is George,” Nate says from behind me. “He’s from …. San Francisco.” 

 “Nate,” Jean says, “Get out of his head.” 

 “He’s telling the truth.” Nate continues. “He doesn’t know where they are.” 

 “He’s not telling the truth.” I growl. “Becuase he’s got to know where he came from. That’s just common sense. He was wherever he’s from- they are.” I extend a second claw. “Speak up dickhead.” 

“Please!” he yelps. “I didn’t do anything! I don’t even know why I’m here!” 

 “You and your  associates attacked our home and stole our children.” Ro growls, “You’d be wise to do yourself a favor and tell us where they went.” Her hand lights up with a small jolt of electricity. “Quickly.” 

 “I don’t know!” The man gasps, motioning to his leg. “I need a medic.” 

 “Like fuck, we’re getting you  a medic.” I snort. “You attacked us.” 

 “He’s not a bad guy.” Nate says in concentration. “He was at a party with his girlfriend taking sugar up his nose and he woke up in the white man’s house.” 

 Taking sugar up his nose? 

 “Nate- out of his head.” Jean orders. “Now.” 

 Nate nods. 

 “The kids right.” ‘George’ says. “I’m just a junkie. That’s it. I’m here because I was on one hell of a high and woke up like this. I know they told us to attack- but I’m not good at it. And I’ve tried to call them back- but they’re not coming.” 

 “Your com link broke?” 

He nods. 

 “And you haven’t told them we found you before it did?” 

 He shakes his head. 

“And they haven’t responded to any of your SOS calls?” 

 “No man.” The man shakes his head again. “And I’m not sure I want them to. I’m done with this shit. I mean look at me!” He motions to himself. “Look man- I need a few hours in a tanning booth and some Rogaine.”  
  
Not to mention his eyes- they actually look a  lot like Remy’s now that I'm staring at him. 

 “Poke him!” Nate cries. 

 “No Nate.” I look back over my shoulder. “Go inside.” 

 “You’re not my dad.” He sticks his tongue out. 

 “Go inside Nate.” I repeat. 

 “Yea.” George says. 

 “You stay silent.” Ro growls. 

 “Logan-“ 

 “Inside Nate.” Jean tells him. “Go find daddy.” 

 “I don’t want to find daddy.” Nate says in exasperation. 

 “Go find daddy and tell him what we’ve found.” Jean says. “It’s urgent.” 

Knowing her she’s telling him as we speak- but Nate likes to feel important. 

“Can I tell him with my brain?” 

 “No. Tell him with your mouth.” Jean pats his shoulders. “Go on.” 

 “Fine.” Nate grumbles. “But I wanna interrogate him and find out what he did with my troop.” 

 “I didn’t do shit!” George says in exasperation.  
  
No doubt I’mma run this dude through. That’s just a given.  
  
No need for the kid to see it. 

Nate exits the room, leaving the grownups to stare down at our guest. 

 “Where are my children?” I ask lowly. 

“I don’t know-“  
  
“Bullshit.” I growl, wrapping a hand around his throat. “Where are they???” 

 “I don’t know.” He wheezes. “I don’t know!” 

 “Perhaps you’d like to rethink your answer.” The sky grows a lot darker than it was and the winds picks up. “Maybe choose a wiser one.” 

 His eyes are wide. “I don’t know.” He gasps. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I DON’T KNOW!” 

 “He’s not lying.” Jean says quietly. “He really doesn’t know.” 

 “How much of his mind do you know is actually his and not some safety net amnesia bullshit?” I demand. 

 Jean is quiet. “I don't know.” She finally admits. “It could be a made up story embedded into his brain.”

 “Call my house.” He says. “Call my house- I live with my parents. They’ll tell you I’m missing.” 

 I don’t want to call this clone’s imaginary house to waste more time. 

 "We’re wasting time.” I voice my complaint. “Time we don’t have.” 

Time. Always back to time. Who knows what’s happening to the kids as we speak? And this asshole just wants to take up more time? I don’t think so. It’s our most precious resource at this point. 

 They’re gone. Both of them. Again.  
  
And it’s fucking Romulus- again. 

If there is a happy spot in my miserable existence- he will find it. He will find it and snuff it out. And for what? To make me a tool? To make me a weapon? To make me more heartless? 

 He cannot have my children. He cannot have my lover. He can’t have shit.  
  
I will fight him tooth and nail for as long as I have to. Until one of us dies- at least. And he’s got a good thousand years on me.  
  
Read as- he’s a lot closer to the grave than I am. And I’ll be fucked if I’m not the one that starts shoveling dirt on top of him. 

 “I don’t know man.” The man hiccups. “I don’t know. I’d tell you if I did- really. Kids-“  
  
“Oh now you care for kids???” I growl. 

 “I’m sorry yours got snatched.” The man says. “Look, dude- really. I’m sorry. Please- get me a medic. A doctor. Someone who can put me back to how I used to look… how I used to think.” 

 Jean crosses her arms. “Elaborate.” 

 “My head,” George points to it with a gloved hand. “It’s got these fucked up images in it. Flashes of memory.” He shudders. “It’s horrible.” 

 “Oh boo hoo.” I let him go. 

“We should take him to Charles.” Ro says quietly. “He can extract all we need to know.” 

 “Charles?” The man nods. “Yes. Take me to him. Please. Anything. Just.. don’t stab me- okay?” 

 “What if it’s a ploy to get to the Professor?” 

 Jean shakes her head. “I don’t think it’s a ploy. I think he’s a dud. He was made too quickly.” 

 “Made? I wasn’t made! I was abducted!” 

 “Likely story.” I turn back to them. “SO he-“  
  
“I was abducted!” He repeats. “George Smith. 25. Blonde hair, green eyes, 167 pounds. Graduated-“  
  
“Stop.” I hiss. 

“I’m telling you-“ 

He doesn’t know where the kids are. Even I can sense that he’s telling the truth- at least in some capacity. That’s a really vivid memory to give a clone. Especially one that’s supposed to be cannon fodder. Why go through the trouble? Usually, they’re pretty thoughtless.   “Take him to see Chuck.” I nod to him. “Please.” 

 “Take him to see Chuck.” I nod to him. “Please.” 

 Jean walks over and helps him to his feet- well foot. 

 She acts as a crutch and leads him off, leaving Ro and I standing in the pool house. 

 “Nate knew he was here.” I say after a minute or two. “He knew.” 

 “And?” 

“He’s stronger than Jean.” 

“Perhaps he’s been programmed to be resilient to her probing. No one counts on Nate being as strong as he is.”  
  
Ro puts her hand on my shoulder. I kiss her bruised knuckles. 

 "Logan, if this doesn’t yield any results…” 

 “It’s gotta.” I sigh. “It’s our only chance.” 

 “Charles is working Cerebro as we speak.” she says. “All it’s going to take is a tiny moment when the children are not shielded. One tiny slip up and we’ll be good to go.” 

 “So they’re not gonna have any slip ups.” 

 A ‘slip up’ is how I got out of Weapon X. Something happened that they couldn’t predict. A small fraction of time where everything just went right. Where it all clicked.  
  
Then it was in an animal-like way. Savage. I wanted blood. Blood and freedom. It hurt. All of it. Everything before then and then that stinging moment. 

 “You’re spacing.” She says in my ear. “I have hope this will work.” She says. “You hold onto hope as well.” She kisses my cheek. “This time tomorrow night, they’ll be back in our arms.” 

 “Ro-“  
  
She shakes her head, for a brief moment I’m drawn to the stitches running up her cheek. “Hope.” She says. “Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. That’s how this works- remember?” 

 Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Sounds like something I would say. 

 “I don’t know what he’s telling them.” I sigh. “I know they’ll heal. I know it. I don’t know what he’s making them think- though. I know how easily he can weasel his way into your mind…… and they’re so little.” 

 “Young-“  
  
“Little.” I shake my head. “They’re little.” 

 Tiny. Barely big enough to stand up for themselves. 

 She wraps her arms around me, hissing when she does so. 

 I turn it around on her, spinning her in my arms. “You should be in bed.” I tell her quietly. 

 “You should be in bed.” She counters. “You didn’t sleep.” 

 “I was watching you.” I admit. 

“Oh?” 

 “Last night was something else.” I nod to the sky. “I heard that there’ve been a lot of storm chasers in the area.” 

 “I’m happy to be keeping someone employed.” She laughs dryly. 

 “Hank told you not to fly.” 

 Ro’s behavior has been a little… reckless. Her scent… there’s something off about it. Hank was running a test on her last night, and she actually kicked me out of the room. He won’t tell me what they discussed- he says she didn’t want me to know.  
  
That scares me. It scares me a lot. 

Ro and I don’t have many secrets from each other. Besides our romantic relationship- we’ve known each other a long time. A LONG time. She’s grown into this graceful creature- wait no. Not ‘grown into’. She’s been like this all along. She just comes into it in stages… like a slow evolution. Yea- that says it. A slow evolution.  
  
Watching her- knowing her- it’s a privilege. 

I hate the idea of someone taking that away from me.  
  
That’s why I’m so worried. It’s bad enough that she’s hurt- but she is hiding something as well. And with all the damage she took… I’m starting to fear the worst. 

 "I know you- Logan who listens to no one, be they doctor or otherwise- aren’t about to tell me to follow a doctor’s opinion.” 

 “He got you good.” I tell her, holding her more securely. 

 “He ‘got’ all of us ‘good’.” she says. 

 “But you-“  I shake my head. “You ran right into him- repeatedly.” 

 “He attacked my children.” she says simply. “I had no choice but to retaliate.” 

 “I know.” I kiss her cheek again, near the stitches. “I know.” 

 “You know how mother bears get when someone harms their cubs?”  She asks quietly. 

 “Yea.” 

 “They just started to think of me as a mother.”  
  
“Ro-“  
  
“And my first task as their mother is to protect them.” 

 “Listen-“  
  
She shakes her head. “And I failed.” 

 “You got some great hits in.” I shush her. “And you’re still standing. A lot of people can’t say that.” 

 “I’ll be getting in many, many more.” 

“I know you will darlin’.” We’re quiet for a second. “Will you at least take your pain medication for me? If you’re not going to lay down.” 

 “I need no pain medication.” 

Her breath keeps hitching. 

“You’re in pain.” I rub her shoulder. “Those wounds on your stomach-“ 

 “They’re not that bad.” she says quietly.  
  
“They’re pretty bad.” 

We stare at the pool, watching the water’s slightly pink tint ruffle across the surface as the wind blows. 

She frowns. “They’re a little bad, then.” 

 “Take your pills.” I say. 

 “I will not.” she crosses her arms and looks away from me. 

 “You sound like Aki.” I chuckle. 

 She gives a small smile. “I guess I do.” 

 “Even goddesses need help- Ro.” I tell her. “It’s not like I’m going to leave you when we go to find them.” 

 She frowns. “They make me fuzzy headed. I don’t like it.” 

 “Please.” I finally beg. “Ororo, please. I can’t see you in pain like this.” 

 “I’m not-“  
  
“I can hear your breathing shift.” I kiss her shoulder. “I can smell the blood.” 

 “Blood.” She restates. 

 “You kicked me out of the room during your examination.” I say lowly, against her skin. I’m surprised she can hear me. 

“That’s a topic I was hoping you would overlook.” 

 “A topic I would overlook?”  
  
The fuck is she talking about. 

 “There’s something I have to tell you… but now is a horrible time to do so.” she says. 

“What do you have to tell me darlin’?” 

 She shakes her head. “No. It’s for another time. Once the children are found.” 

 “Ro,” I take her hand in my mine, turning her around to face me. “Are you okay?” 

 “I’m fine.” she smiles. “Really- Logan. It’s nothing to worry yourself over.” 

 “Then why don’t you tell me?” 

 “Logan- it’s nothing.” She won’t look at my eyes. 

“Ro, please. What are you hiding from me?” 

“My love, it’s nothing important.” she promises. “I promise. I’m in no danger.” 

 “You won’t take your pills , you kicked me out of the room, and you’re not telling me something that has to do with your health. You’re scaring me darlin’.” 

She sighs. “Can’t you take me at my word that I’m okay?” 

 “But you’re not okay.”  
  
I can’t get her to understand this. 

 “He tore you to shreds.”

 “He hit nothing important.” She puts her hand on her stomach, A little lower than her wounds. 

 “He tore you to shreds.” I repeat. “And you won’t take your pain medication.” 

Her hand stays on her stomach. But it’s not on her wounds.  
  
It looks vaguely familiar. 

 The stance. Like I know it from somewhere. 

 “The pain is secondary.” She smiles. “I promise you- I will be fine.” 

 “Right…” I look her over. “And if I happen to go ask Hank about whatever you talked to him about last night- he won’t tell me anything- right?” 

 She nods. “He’s sworn to silence.” 

 “Ro….” 

She smiles. “I will tell you everything.” She puts her hand in mine. “Now is not the time.” 

 “If you’re hiding the fact that you’re not cleared for this mission-“  
  
“That couldn’t keep me away from this mission if they tried.” she says. “I promise you that. I will defend my children.” 

 There’s something in her face. Something…. I don’t know.  
  
Something is going on. 

 And she won’t tell me. 

 I know Ro well enough to know that she wouldn’t make herself a liability on a mission. If she wasn’t cleared to go- she probably wouldn’t go.  

I don’t think I’m going to get her to tell me anything. 

"Can you at least give me a hint?” I finally ask.  
  
She smiles. “Charles has probably made progress with our guest by now.” 

 “Oh that’s wonderful, darlin'. Change the topic entirely.” 

 Ro shakes her head. “At a later date.” she holds her hand skyward. “After the mission. When our little ones are tucked away in our arms and the villains have paid for their deeds.” 

 “Ro-“  
  
“We will keep our family safe, first and foremost.” She holds a look of determination in her eyes that I can’t even begin to describe. 

 I sigh. “Alright.” I have to concede defeat. She ain’t budging on this. “But the second we get home…”  
  
“I shall tell you everything I know and more, my love.” She’s smirking. The look on her is something special. 

 I sigh. “Will you at least think about taking pain medication?” She takes my hand and starts to walk towards the house.  
  
The sky lightens just a tiny bit. The storm is still there- yea. But it doesn’t look like it’s preparing to spout any funnel clouds. 

 She has a secret.  
  
I hate secrets. 

I guess every couple has them. I guess. 

 But she’s usually so straight forward. 

 I have a nagging suspicion it has something to do with her wounds- but I’ll be fucked if I keep pressing her.  
  
She’s moving. She’s talking. She’s breathing. 

And she’s tough. Tougher than any woman I’ve ever met. And I say that coming from a job field that’s produced some tough women. Just by the nature of the job. 

 We get to Chuck’s office in silence. I knock on the door before pushing it open. 

 George the ‘clone’ is slumped on a chair. Chuck leans his head in his hands. 

 “South America.”  
  
Two words. 

“Can you narrow it down?” 

 “Brazil.” He steeples his fingers in front of his face. “Man a team. Immediately. Time is not on our side.” 

 Fuck. 

 “Chuck-“ 

 “He’s not a psychic link to all of the other ‘clones’ - some of which connects me to Sinister himself. I know everything. The base is in the forest.” 

 “What are they doing to them?”  
  
He eyes me. “You should go- now.” 

“What are they doing to them? Brainwashing? Indoctrinating-“ 

 “No. They were too strong-willed for that.” 

 Thank god. They’ll be no conditioning-

 “They’re going to kill them.” He says, darkly. “They’re harvesting organs and tissue samples first.. repeatedly. The doctor plans to sell them on the black market.”  
  
“My god.” Ro sounds distraught. 

 “Aki and Laura are holding up well enough- but they’re tried. Rachel- they haven’t gotten to yet.” 

“She won’t-“  
  
“She only has one set of organs.” he says. “Go. Now.” 

 He gives us the coordinates. 

 We’re running to the Jet before I can really register what is happening. 

When I look up from putting the coordinates into the jet- there’s a full fucking team behind me. 

 “Move over.” Jean orders. 

“Wha-“  
  
“I’m flying.” she growls. “Move over.” 

With that tone of voice- I know better than to fight her. 

“You got it.” I let her take the pilot seat. 

 “No one touches my baby.” She mutters. “I’m going to tear the place to pieces.” 

 That’s especially good to hear. 

My mind can’t help but block out everything but my babies. 

 What they’re doing to them.  
  
How much of them will be left when this done- if I can even get to them in time.  
  
The jet’s fast. Top of the line. Hank modifies it himself. I have no doubt we’ll get there as fast as humanly possibly… 

 But we’ve already wasted so much time. 

Something must have gone wrong.  
  
They didn’t want to train them. They didn’t want to teach them. Or use them for anything like that.  
  
They’re cleaning up after themselves. 

 Erasing-  
  
“The other kids.” I say. “Did they take-“  
  
“They took half of them." Rogue says.” 

 “And the others-“  
  
“In protective custody with their parents.” She nods. “Sit down. We got a long way to go.” 

She must have just gotten back. She looks exhausted. 

 I fall into my seat by Ro, watching her face go from hopeless to angry in the span of thirty seconds. 

“I will raze their base to the ground.” she says. “Watch me.” 

 “I plan to.” I take her hand. “I’ll be right there with you.” 

 She nods, putting her hand on her stomach again. 

 “Your stitches hurting?”

She pushes hair from her face. “Not really.” 

 “You should stop touching them.” I nod to her hand. 

She frowns and removes her hand. 

 In a story there are turns. 

Twists. 

 Things that happen that you didn’t exactly expect. 

 Things that could go very bad- or very good. Depending on how you choose to interpret them. 

After all- two people can hear the same story and take two completely different messages from it. 

 I think….. I think there’s another story being written- woven in between the one that we started all those years ago. 

The one that started with the dying woman in the cave. It progresses to another mother. One that is not blood- but cares just the same.  
  
I don’t have a lot of luck keeping the women in my life alive. 

 The kids got the mommy they deserved. That’s true. They kinda picked her out for themselves.  
  
That’s part of the second story. 

There’s something else there. Something I’m not really sure of at the moment.  
  
But fuck.  
  
I push it aside for now. There’s a mission briefing to listen to, a plan to concoct, and a fight to gear up for. 

It’s gonna be a hell of a night. 


	15. There will be long chapters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To expalin the title of this chapter and why it's taken so long to write- it is literally 30 pages long. I couldn't find a good half way point to stop it. So consider this two chapters in one- to make up for not posting one last week. 
> 
> This is mildly upsetting. 
> 
> Involves violence towards children and grownups alike.  
> It's also kinda... sad.  
> All I can say is that you have to keep reading. Try not to get too upset with me. I promise an eventual happy ending !
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Oh and leaving Kudos- those too. Y'all are awesome and it's so nice to hear that you like this story so much.

The mission after we found out she was pregnant was a nasty one. I didn’t want her to go and she didn’t want to stay. We got in a huge fight that neither of us was backing down from- it was awful. 

And then the mission itself was grueling. 

It was a facility that focused on women. Young women. Sixteen through twenty-three- I think it was. They were trying to impregnate them with clones- A lot like Laura’s momma.  Only Laura’s momma was voluntary from what the packet they gave me explained. Laura was her experiment. She decided to carry her to term. 

That’s another story altogether. One I’m sure Laura will be asking about in a few years. God only knows how many other ‘clones’ I may have. Her official name was 'X-23’. Which means that logically there were 22 before her. 

The mission was trying to make clones of all past weapons. Me. Deadpool. Fantomex - all of us. 

Itsu would not rest until those girls were freed.

None of the babies survived. 

Hell to be honest- now that I’m remembering it- none of the mommas survived either.  

I don’t know why that mission is sticking out in my mind so prominently right now. It just is. 

It has been the entire time we’ve been in transit. 

The flight took longer than expected. 

I know that’s probably not actually what happened- but it felt like it took a while. 

I’ve had a lot of time to think. 

Ro passed out- despite her extreme attempts not to. She’s awake now, of course, but she’s sick. She needs to be taking it slow. 

She said we couldn’t afford to be a man down when she woke up. 

I don’t know if that’s true or not- but that look she was wearing? Yea -it told me not to push my luck. 

The team is the usual cast minus Kitty and Pete - who begrudgingly stayed behind to tend to the other children.  
  
And I mean begrudgingly. 

Time isn’t on our side though- so we didn’t really have time to sit and argue about who was coming and who wasn’t. 

In the end, I think they may have actually drawn straws. 

At the moment I don’t know if they got the best hand in that. Watching a hundred plus kids doesn’t seem to be something I’d like to do on my own. 

As for us- well we’re in it thick. 

We’re in the Amazon- I’d know this place from any other forest or jungle I’ve ever been in. It’s something that leaves a mark on a person. Beautiful. Powerful. Mysterious. 

And muggy. 

Shit is it humid. 

You can tell that it’s just rained. We may be lucky and be able to find the kids before the next storm. 

Not that Ro would let it rain on us- come to think of it. On the other hand with all these little critters running around, I’m sure she wouldn’t want to fuck up their environment more than necessary. So maybe she would let it rain. Who knows. 

We’ve been trudging through the jungle for at least thirty minutes. Slim thought it best to put the jet where there was no chance it could be seen. 

Knowing Romulus (And Sinister for that matter) it doesn’t matter where he puts the jet. They know we’re coming. They’ve probably known since the not clone called them the first time. 

That- or they assumed he was dead and that we would somehow trace him back to them. 

Something along those lines- I’m sure. 

Honestly, it’s hard to think right now. 

Everything is jumbled. 

All I see is their little faces. Laura begging me not to let go. 

Why the fuck did I let go? I know it hurt- fuck I know it did. They were crying. But I let go. They zapped me and I let go. 

Ro tried to tell me that I had no choice in the matter. That everyone reacts the same when electrocuted. She told me to trust her. She said she was an expert. 

I know she’s right- I know it. Add on to the fact that my bones are coated in metal- I’m probably more prone to shocks than everyone else. But it doesn’t change how awful I’ve felt. 

Thinking about her- about that mission. About those girls. About my girl. My boy. 

I didn’t mean to let go-  But the point stands. I did. I let my kids go. They needed me and I failed them. 

Maybe Fury was right- I am a shitty parent. 

Maybe. 

I mean- 

Fuck. I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. 

I just want them back.  
  
I want someone to give me a direction to start slashing- and I want to slash the fuck out of that direction. 

Something roars in the distance. Sounds like some kind of scuffle between something big and something bigger. 

Things that I hope stay well out of our way. 

We’ve got enough to handle without things trying to eat us. 

Part of me shivers to think of if the kids had gotten away again. Or- in a fucked up way- if Romulus and Sinister set them loose in the forest and they got lost. 

My kids won’t starve. They’d walk around soaked to the bone and hungry until someone found them. 

I’ve scented the trail every three minutes in case something like that happened. I know Laura would know enough to stay on the trail. 

Aki might want to play in the ‘woods’ though. If he got over being afraid of ‘the outside’.

The team has to go single file down this narrow path between the river and a dense tree line. It’s bad for cover. If someone had a sniper rifle they could pick us off one by one this way. 

Slim didn’t see another way to move though and we had to go fast. 

Whatever happens, happens. 

He wants his little girl just as badly as I want mine. 

And as fucked up as it is- mine’s a lot harder to kill than his is. 

Rachel… well… I mean she’s two. She’s shown no powers at this point. She’s just a toddler. In the scheme of things- honestly? She’s pretty… and I hate to say it- useless. 

I try to think of reasons Sinister would have for keeping her alive this long if he was planning on harvesting organs. 

I didn’t mean for my mind to slip to that train of thought- but it did. I could almost feel Jean tense up when she was beside me. I think she may have heard. 

It’s an awkward situation when a telepath accidentally overhears something. They can’t come out and say they’ve done it because that would be betraying your trust. Doesn’t stop them from being upset. And the person whose mind was read can’t really apologize without giving up that they were thinking something worth apologizing for. 

It’s a fucked up thing- telepathy. 

Jean kinda shifted away from me. She didn’t need to tell me she was upset. 

I mean I understand being upset- they have her two- year-old. But I still think some of that was on me. I need to be more careful when she’s around. With her powers being as they are sometimes- she can’t help but overhear things. It takes conscious thought to keep everything to myself. 

Scott and Jean don’t need to know what’s going on in my mind right now.  
  
What’s going on in any of our minds right now. 

I know I’m not the only one thinking it- I can’t be. But there’s a chance Rachel might not be alive at all. They called her ‘useless’ last time- if I remember right. I can’t imagine her being of any more use this time around. It’s only been a few weeks since we rescued them. Just a few short weeks. 

And fuck.  
  
It’s happened again. 

Someone needs to take these bastards out. Someone needs to … fuck. It should have been me. 

I shoulda tried harder.  
  
When I was with Magneto at the old base- I shoulda pushed harder. I shoulda found something. 

This is partly my fault. 

My fault for not taking out Romulus the last time we fought.  
  
For entrusting him to Fury. 

For not killing Sinister the millions of times we’ve fought. 

It’s not really ‘survivor’s guilt’ per se. But it’s something close to it. Something I don’t really care to name. Or even want to know about at this point- if we’re being honest. 

This is another thing she would have done well at. 

She told me if it ever came down to it- to take care of Romulus. She told me that. 

I would have listened.  
  
But Chuck. God damn it. Chuck. 

He gets in my head and shares his ideologies. And for what it’s worth- most of the time I listen. He gives good advice. 

I think it says something that he didn’t tell me what to do this time around. 

In fact, he didn’t tell any of us what to do.  
  
We have no clue how he would have handled the situation. 

Maybe that’s for the best. 

I know Scott more so than anyone sees Charles as a father figure. He wants to make him proud. It’s a weird thing they have going. If Chuck told him how to proceed with this- shit might not get done like it needs to. I think Chuck knew that. Or in the very least, guessed it. He’s smart like that. 

No one is really saying much. Hank and Ro are at the back of the line, whispering. A few mildly disturbing things here and there. I’m trying to give them privacy- but with my hearing? It’s pretty much unavoidable that I hear what they’re talking about. 

“You should have stayed home.” he hisses at her. 

“I-“ 

“In your condition-“ 

“Henry, please.” Ro sounds distraught. 

“The physical activity alone,” Hank whispers. “But the possibility of catching something unknowingly could damage-“ He stops, out of the corner of my eye I see that she’s elbowed him. 

Me and her are going to be having a chat later. I can’t believe she’d put herself in danger. 

Wait- strike that. I can totally believe she’d put herself in danger. I think we more so need to talk about the fact that she told me she’d be okay and Hank is now insinuating that she won’t be. 

I store it away for later. I’ll have to watch her. Make sure she’s staying as safe as possible. 

I mean- we’re all gonna be in a bit of a mess. Walking back to the jet alone is going to take some time. And we don’t know how bad off the kids are going to be. 

Scott stops at the front of the line, bringing us all to a halt. 

In front of us is the opening to a cave, hidden behind a waterfall. The only way in is to wade into the water- 

Water. A shit ton of water. Did they bring Aki this way? He’d be terrified. He’d be… how am I going to get him out? He won’t want to come back this way. 

He- 

“Maybe it’s best to worry about that after we’ve got him.” Jean offers quietly.  It’s the first thing she’s said to me in a while. 

I look at her for a moment. “Do you sense Rachel?” 

“Faintly.” She nods. “But her mind is a jumble of pictures- mostly. As most children’s minds are. They don’t necessarily make sense to me… Nate is always better are understanding her than I am.” 

Jubes is home with Nate. Neither of them very much liked being told to stay home.

I’m glad she can sense her. That means she’s alive. If she’s alive- then that means we’re not too late. 

I hope that it means they’re all in the same place- like last time. Poor Aki being separated with all this water and all this jungle…. fuck. My little guy is probably scared shitless. 

When I find them- when I find him- I’m never letting go. He’ll be sixteen before he can properly leave my sight- I swear it. 

“Through the waterfall.” Jean points. “Quickly.” 

“It’s a trap.” I hate to say it- but it is. 

“It does look pretty trappy,” Bobby says. 

Romulus wouldn’t have left this so open for us to find. It’s got to be guarded in some form or another. This is too easy. 

“It’s too easy- it’s a trap,”  I repeat. 

Remy steps forward, extending his staff and sticking it into the water. We all watch for a minute. 

“Lookin’ for critters.” He explains after a silent moment. “A big snake or a gator-“ 

“There aren’t any gators in the Amazon,” Rogue says, hands on her hips. 

“You don’t know what they could have-“ 

The staff is almost jerked out of his hands, almost pulling him face first into the water. Remy yanks it out, pulling out a large- unnaturally large at that- snake with it. 

It’s got markings like an Anaconda- green with the spots and shit. But it’s so fucking big. It rears up, head easily as big as Remy's, and it’s height a good few inches on him. 

“Look what you did!” Bobby cries, icing up. 

It’s a giant ass snake- that’s the only way to describe it. Something a horror movie would love to have. 

Like… the Godzilla of snakes. 

Honestly, I was expecting something… deadlier. 

Sure it’s probably venomous. It’s got some impressive fangs on it as it draws back and hisses. 

The size alone could leave being constricted by it a problem. 

But it’s just not…. what I was expecting. 

“See what I mean?” Remy points to the snake. “Critters.” 

The water ripples off to the side- another, smaller, snake comes to the surface. 

“And it’s got a friend!” Remy rushes the first snake with his staff, sending a few well-placed charges into its face and making it recoil. 

Bobby blasts it overhead. 

It’s a good move considering snakes are cold blooded. The cold will do some damage. 

However, if he keeps blasting like he is- the team’s going to be taking a lot of frost damage as well. 

“Watch where you’re aiming, popsicle,” I growl, ducking down. 

Remy beats the first snake with his staff, pushing energy through the hollow insides of the instrument to make a blast of energy out the end. 

“It’s likely that we’ve stumbled into a nest.” Hank backs away from the water, watching with interest. “I wonder what exact species they’ve modified.” 

“Don’t care.” Bobby has iced the first one in place. “Only good snake is a dead snake.” 

Laura would hate these things. After that TV show, she saw Bobby watching with the snake's int he drains- she hasn’t really cared for them. 

If they let these things touch her- I will end them. 

Wait- that’s pointless. I’m ending them anyway. I just… hope they didn’t do this to scare her. She’s not easily spooked- but it can happen still. 

“Do you think they’re just in the water?” Scott shoots the second snake that’s slowly slithering out of the lake, making it recoil and jerk. 

“I’d check the trees.” Rogue points in that direction. 

Ro goes to move forward, but Hank grabs her. “You of all people are most susceptible to poisons right now in your current state,” he says harshly. “You’d do best to stay back until we can determine if they’re venomous or not.” 

In her current state?  
  
Because of her wounds?  
  
What is he talking about? 

Ro frowns but takes a step back. “I’ll watch the trees.” She says dejectedly. 

I draw my claws and lunge at the iced up snake. Its scales are a little… resilient. Definitely not what I was expecting. In fact, it’s a lot less easy to kill than I thought it was going to be. I’m really not making much progress. It’s like they were designed with my claws in mind.  
  
I know that’s probably not the case- but a part of me still thinks it is. It’s probably best not to put too much thought into it. 

We go about taking down our two visitors for another five minutes or so- each of us getting increasingly annoyed with how resilient these mother fuckers are- before a large bolt of lightning strikes the first snake dead. A few seconds later, another bolt hits the second. A few more seconds and a bolt hits the portion of the river that runs to the cave. 

I guess you could call it a lake. I guess. 

After a few moments of silence, two more snakes float to the surface- fried. 

“No more foolishness,” Ro says simply, stepping into the water. 

She’s been quiet most of this fight. 

“Ororo-“ 

“Henry, I went nowhere near it.” She snaps. “Do not mother hen me at this moment.” 

Hank holds his hands up. “My dear, I’m only saying-“ 

“Then stop saying it.” She hisses, walking further into the water. 

“Ro-“ I go to grab her, only to be stopped by her glare. 

“I am going to find my children.” She growls. “Do not try to stop me.” 

“I’m going after them too, darlin.” I soothe. “But let me go first- okay?” 

“The lightning killed whatever would have been hiding in the water- Logan.” she sounds patient and impatient at the same time. “I swear it.” 

“Darlin’-“ 

“Do you see all of this water? Aki is going to be terrified. We need to get him before it has a chance to get any deeper.” 

“I agree.” I nod. “I do, Ro. But seriously- let me go first. If I go down, you can know to be aware…. you’re hurt and goin' in that water will make any animal with a nose aware of those stitches you’ve got…. you’re gonna be a target.” 

“I’ve killed the animals in the river.” She says defiantly. 

“There could be more on the other side.” I try to reason. 

Ro shakes her head and walks further into the lake, the water easily sliding up to her chest. “Hurry, my love,” she says. “We don’t have a lot of time.” 

Jean follows her, smirking.

She likes that Ro can hand my ass to me. I think everyone does in some fashion or another. 

Ro doesn’t do it out of spite- or even that often. But she’s not one to be pushed over in any way shape or form. She’s…. I don’t know. Too strong for that. 

Too strong for me to protect her.  

 I want her to be safe. Hank was worried about diseases. I bet with her wounds in mind stepping into a dirty river would not be the best idea. Who knows what kind of infections she could pick up? 

Like, fuck if she’ll listen to me though. She wouldn’t even tell me she was hurt. 

Itsu was too stubborn for me to protect. She was strong in her own rights- sure. But she was human. And even the strongest of humans don’t stand a chance when they go up against certain people.  
  
The thing Romulus said the other night has haunted me. The “I didn’t have your wife killed so you could play house’ comment. He was involved with that. 

It’s not like I never suspected that. No. I’d be stupid not to. 

Just… to have it confirmed. 

Itsu put a target on her back. 

Like Ro’s done. 

And Ro, unlike Itsu, got some good licks in on him. He’ll see her as a challenge. 

I don’t like that. Ro shouldn’t like that. She shouldn’t have attacked him. She shouldn’t have- but she did. And we’ve talked about him- repeatedly once we got serious. I told her if he ever came back that she’d be in danger. I told her that there was always a chance he would come back- no matter what Fury said. 

Guess I was right about that. 

The thought of Fury- after this has happened again- makes my blood boil. 

I called him on the jet. We’ve got backup coming. 

They’re hunting down any ‘child sized organ trading’. God only knows what people would want with them. That’s if they decided to sell them. They may just keep them around for cloning purposes. 

As far as death goes- Aki and Laura are pretty young. Their healing factors aren’t near where they need to be to stop real damage. Well- okay. Aki stopped real damage. Let me rephrase that- they’re strong enough to be hard to kill- but not impossible. If Aki hadn’t received medical attention he would have died. 

I doubt that Romulus and Sinister are using sanitary means of organ retrieval. Or anesthesia. Part of me thinks I can hear the kids screaming- but that’s in my head. 

I had Jean assure me. 

It had to be.  
  
I’ve been hearing it since the jet. 

A fog settles over the water- some much-needed cover. Slowly we all end up in the lake- lead by Ro and trailed by Bobby and Rogue. 

The water’s pretty deep. We have to swim some portions.  
  
Getting all those kids over this will be impossible.  
  
We won’t have a choice- though. It’s going to happen whether we want it to or not. I guess they could each grab a grown up. Something like that.  
  
Something we’ll have to think about later. 

The cave is dark. There’s a little lighting overhead that outlines the way to an almost hidden door in the wall. The river ends in another small ‘lake’ and we all climb out and edge our way to the door. 

There’s a lot of stumbling. In the dark, I can hear several murmured “Fucks” and “oh shits” as people trip over their own feet and fall around in the dark. 

If we were anywhere else at any other time, you could almost call it funny. 

“Through there,” Jean says in the dark. “I hear Rachel.” She hisses after that. “Whoever is on my foot, move,”  she growls. 

I know she means she hears her telepathically, but I have a  false hope that I’ll hear the kids if I listen too. I don’t. I knew I wouldn’t. But I fuck I wanted to. I don’t know why I feel so let down when I knew it wouldn’t happen in the first place. 

Jean pries the door open with her mind- I hear the metal groaning before it snaps open, banging against the sides of the entrance and slamming back together a few times before finally coming to a stop in the middle. 

Jeanie’s getting good at that. 

There’s a glow coming from the hallway beyond the door. Almost like a halo effect. 

Ro moves forward, sticking her head from the door. 

I hear the faintest ‘click’. The sound of a safety on a gun. In fact, several safeties. That means several guns. All loaded. 

I know this is bad. I quickly grab Ro from behind, yanking her back just in time for a bullet to lodge itself in the wall she was standing in front of. 

She stares at me with wide eyes, still somewhat confused. 

“Fifteen guards,” Jean mumbles, flattening herself against the wall. 

“Logan and I will take care of them,” Scott says. “Jean, dull their minds. Ororo gives us cover. Remy, Bobby, and Hank guard the door. Rogue-“ 

“Gimmie your finger.” she turns to me, cutting him off. 

“What?” 

“Imma zap you.” She ungloves her right hand. “Siphon off some of your healing.” 

A lot like what Nate was saying a few weeks ago. 

“Right.” 

“To hell with this,” Ro growls, yanking her arm from me and blasting the hall with what can only be described as Hurricane force winds. She’s ripping the tiles off the floor. Men are screaming as they’re forced backward into walls and each other. “Move.” She steps into the hall and takes off at a run. 

“Ororo- please-“ 

“She’s gone.” Hank pushes past Scott. “We should follow her- quickly. I fear her boldness is being worsened by her imbalance hormones.” 

Her- “What?” 

Hank looks at me. “She’s.. irrational, is all.” 

“Because her hormones are imbalanced?” I scoff. 

“Logan-“ 

“What? She’s PMSing or some shit? That shit doesn’t bother her. What the fuck is going on?” 

This seems like things are adding up. I’m starting to get a working idea - or at least a sinking suspicion- but I don’t want to voice any of it. 

“Logan-“ 

Sudden there’s this tugging, draining, tiredness that sneaks over me.  
  
I look over my shoulder to see Rogue slowly pulling away and removing her hand. “Fight about it later.” she pushes past me, taking off after Ro. 

“Honestly.” Jean crosses her arms. 

“What?” I’m confused. 

“Dense.” Bobby chuckles, pushing past me. 

“What are you talking about?” Now I’m getting pissed. 

“We don’t have time to explain it to you.” Hank dismisses, taking off after the women. 

“And if we did- we wouldn't,” Jean adds, following in Hank's footsteps. 

That leaves me and Slim, staring between each other. “How many kids do you have?” He says finally. 

“What?” I have to laugh at the question. “Two? Ya know- the ones that live with me.” 

Scott waves his hand through the air. “Besides Aki and Laura. Have you ever had any?” 

“No…,”  
  
Scott smirks. “Then that explains why you’re so bad at this.” 

“Bad at what???” I growl, yanking him down to my level by his collar, “The fuck are you talking about?” 

“It’s nothing.” He shakes himself from my grip. “I just thought you’d be… better. Is all.” 

“Better at what????” I’m exasperated. This is wasting time. Part of me knows it has something to do with Ro. Another part knows she’s somewhere in this base. That part takes into consideration all the reckless things she’s done so far, and worries just a little bit. 

A bigger part reminds me that the kids are here- in danger. And that fighting with Summers- while fun- isn’t something that would be a good idea. 

“Forget it.” I snap. “We’re wasting time.” 

I push past him, following the massive trail of destruction my lady has so lovingly dealt to the base and the men inside it. 

I keep my guard up for any signs of Romulus or Sinister- both of whom don’t seem to be here. 

We make our way to the middle of the base- trusting Ro and Jean to have found the kids by now. 

I’m so focused on following the trail that I’m not really looking at where I’m going. We pass door after door and I don’t pay it any attention. It isn’t until we’re going down one particularly dark hallway, that I get a nagging feeling that I should be checking the rooms. 

At that very same moment- I look over my shoulder into one of the rooms that’s set up a lot like a lab. 

A very familiar lab. 

In the center is a large, rounded, tube that extends from the floor to the ceiling. Inside of that tube-

“Logan-“ Scott doesn’t have time to grab me.  
  
I storm through the doors without telling him a word. 

The tube is filled with water and a singular figure. A little figure. A little, small, tiny, figure who’s helplessly banging on the glass with both fists. 

Around her face is a frightening looking breathing mask- for the water. After all- they don’t want to outright kill her. 

Fuck am I going to outright kill them though. I swear it. 

I run to the tank and start to feel around for a release hatch. They used to have one. On the side. 

I can’t find it. 

Beside the tank is a variety of tubes and cords running into it. Each holding this silver, liquid, that’s heated to an abnormal degree. 

Melted metal.  
  
More so- Adamantium. 

Detached from the situation, you could say it looks somewhat… I don’t know. Pretty. Shiny. Liquid. Silver. Looks like it would make some fine jewelry if you really didn’t know what else to do with it. 

Who the fuck thought they should start putting this shit inside of people is a sick fuck. 

Whoever the fuck thought they should try putting it inside my daughter will be a dead fuck. 

That’s later, though. 

The tank as a series of needles- or fucked up things that look like needles. Meant for penetrating the skin and coating the skeleton. 

Through all the water, I can see her terrified little face. 

What I don’t see, however, is the scientist running this shit. 

Or… the latch. I still don’t see that. 

“Backup, sweetie.” I tap on the glass. “Take a step back… as much as you can- okay?” 

I know she’ll hear me. Everything will be amplified by the water. With her ears, it was amplified, to begin with. 

Laura takes two tiny steps back. 

That’s as much wiggle room as I need. I slash through the glass, cutting it into two separate pieces, spilling water at my feet. Watching it mix with glass and chemicals. 

Laura is gasping as I pull the glass pieces apart enough to get her out. 

“Come here.” I open my arms to her. “Come here, darlin’.” 

She shakes her head. I can’t hear what she’s saying in the mask. 

“Come on baby.” I soothe. “I’ve got you.”  

She stumbles forward, frantically grasping at the mask tied behind her head and knocking into the numerous needles in doing so. She cries out and it damn near breaks me. 

“Come on baby,” I repeat. I lean in and take her into my arms, pulling off the breathing mask. She’s so quiet that I think maybe she's… forgotten who I am. 

Then she wraps her arms around my neck and lets out one strangled cry. I hold her tightly and try to think of the right thing to say. 

“He took Aki.” She sobs. “And then he put me in here- and there were so many people looking at me. And I can’t swim daddy. I can’t swim! My points wouldn’t go through the glass. They weren’t metal. They had no metal on them. The doctors got scared of something in the hall and ran off and the air in my mask was not working and-“

She said her points ‘weren’t’ metal. Does… that mean they are now?  

“Laura,” I shush her. “Breathe darlin’, okay? Breathe for daddy.” 

She’s sobbing. 

It’s more than her “I’m scared” sound. This sounds suspiciously like “I’m in pain”. It’s a sound you don’t get to hear her make that often. 

“They took them.” She sobs. “And they took out Aki’s insides!” 

Fuck. 

“Darlin’”  
  
“I don’t know if he’s still alive.” She sobs. “And I hurt. I hurt so bad…. I’m burning! My hands are burning and I can’t find my little brother and-“ 

I lift her into my arms. “Ro Ro And Jean are tracking down Aki and Rachel,” I say, rocking her a little. 

The next question I’m not sure how to ask. It needs to be done- but I don’t know how to do it. 

The vat of heated metal keeps drawing my attention back to it. 

“Can I see your points, sweetie?” 

She shakes her head. “I’m scared.” 

“Lemme see.” I push wet hair back from her face. “Please?” 

Laura holds up a shaking hand and slowly extends her claws- now coated in shining metal. My heart is in my throat. 

“Sweetie…” 

“It’s just my points.” She whispers. “They didn’t put it on my bones yet.” 

“Did they do all of your points?”  
  
She nods. “Even the ones in my feet.” 

There was an interesting development. It was a surprise for everyone when those made their first appearance. 

“Laura-“  
  
She holds me tightly, wrapping herself around me as much as she can- like when she was little. 

She’s soaked to the bone and it’s chilly in here. I know she’s bound to be cold. 

“It’s okay baby,” I tell her. “It’s all okay.” 

But it’s not. This can’t stand. This- 

“I found a blanket.” Scott’s voice makes me jump. “Here, Laura.” He wraps it around her shoulders, draping it over me to do so. It makes her a nice little hood. A lot like what we do to take Aki out of the house. 

One of my babies is here. We’re one step closer to having this over with. 

“Sweetie… why were you in the tank?” I ask her. “I thought they were taking-“ I stop. “Doing something else.” 

Laura shakes her head. “They separated me and Aki. They were cutting him open- but they put me in the fish tank.” 

“I see.” 

Scott leans towards me. “Jean found Rachel.” He says lowly. “And the other kids.” 

That… doesn’t sound like good news. Why is he not making that sound like good news? 

“Aki?” 

“He’s not there,” Scott says. “The other kids….”  
  
“Yea?”  
  
Laura hiccups. “They’re dead- daddy.” She buries her face in my shoulder. “Does that mean Aki’s dead too?” 

I look at Scott with pure terror. 

“They can’t find him.. Jean says he’s in the building though..” 

That means… 

“Romulus has him.” I don’t have to second guess myself. 

“That’s what Ororo thinks. She’s gone after him.” 

After…. What? “She found him?” 

Scott nods. “We have to go. He’s sealed off the room- no one else can get in.” 

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. 

“She’ll fight him off and-“ 

And…. fuck. I have to get to her. 

We start running. 

Laura’s sobs are quieting. She’s bound to be tired. I’ll pass her off to the first available adult and go find Ro. 

We find the others in another lab. This one has the bodies of the other children scattered on the floor. Each with a bullet in their forehead. 

Fuck. 

Jean is holding Rachel, who’s bawling. 

Remy, Bobby, Rogue and Hank are banging on a closed door- none of them making any progress. 

I hear yelling from the other side.  
  
“Someone take Laura,” I demand, unsheathing my claws and walking to the door. Hank turns around and scoops her into his arms without a word. 

I start slashing through the door, hearing nothing good on the other side. “She’s fighting,” I growl. 

But it don’t sound like she’s winning. 

“She was very determined,” Remy says. 

“And very reckless.” Hank mumbles. 

“Yea- she’s been kinda… bullheaded today.” I grunt.

Rogue chuckles, but it’s dry. “If that’s what she’s like now, I hate to think what the next seven months are gonna be like.” 

My eyes are wide as I turn to her.

“Petite…” Remy hisses.  

“Fuck.” Rogue glances down. “You would have figured it out anyway.” She says. 

Ro’s…. Ro’s….. she’s…. 

And she’s with… 

Fighting…  
  
And she’s…. 

I gotta get this door open. Now. 

I slash until something gives, slowly cutting a hole large enough to squeeze through. 

At first there’s nothing but flashes of light in the darkness- lightning. 

Yelling- crying. 

And him, standing in the middle. 

There’s the sound of something cracking- a loud, dry sound. The lights stop. 

The yelling stops. 

The crying intensifies.  
  
“You have such fortunate timing.” He chuckles, holding something in his hands- a form I can’t see.. “I’d planned to let her live longer…. but with that thing growing in her stomach… well…” 

“Daddy!” 

“Be quiet.” He snarls to the figure in his hands. There’s another crack, a whimper, and then silence. Something is thrown off to the side of the room, a dull thud echoes. 

He threw him. 

He fucking….

“Now we can talk.” He smirks in the dark. “Man to beast.” 

I feel this rage in me… boiling. 

My… everything. Here. On this floor. 

MY…. 

All I see is red. 

If he wants a beast- 

I lunge towards his voice, snarling when I make impact. 

I drive my claws deep, receiving equally sharp claws in return. 

I can’t think. I can’t breathe. I can’t even see. 

I just want blood. I want revenge I want…. 

Death. 

His and everyone who’s ever helped him. 

“This is how it was meant to be.” He growls in my ear, claws jammed in my chest. “This… family notion is sickening. It’s not meant for you. It will never be meant for you. You are not a man. You are not a hero. You are not even human. Ascend to where you were meant to be.” 

I can’t speak. 

“Become what you were meant to become.” He takes my claws to his neck, pulling back and attacking from behind. 

We fight for what feels like an eternity- neither of us able to deal the killing blow. 

“Daddy-“ A whimper from the side. “Daddy-” This is followed by a wet gurgle

My head whips in that direction. 

“It lives.” He chuckles. “Perhaps…. there is hope for him after all. I may have been too hasty. Maybe…. he’d make an excellent addition to my plans. An excellent weapon. Our little Daken…. a proper name for an abomination  to pure blooded genes. He’ll make a great weapon. A decent follower… once we rid him of all these pesky memories… five is a wonderful age to start his training. Of course, we’ll have to break him first.” 

Break him?  
  
“Daddy-“ He tries again. 

“I’ll mold him until he has nothing but hate,” He slashes me in my distracted state, “Malice,” Another slash, “And indifference towards you and all you love. He’ll be my best disciple to date. He’ll be-“  
  
“Like hell, he will.” Is rasped from the sidelines before a massive bolt of lightning flashes into existence- zapping him hard enough to burn his skin. It lights up the entire room, lasting for a good minute. 

Ro is curled on her side, hand lifted in his direction. Aki on his side across the room- head smashed into the wall. 

“Logan go!” Ro gasps. “Logan- now. Go!” 

I’m too stunned to move. Too- 

“Logan now!” 

‘I love you- now do this.’ Comes to mind. 

Stories have flashbacks, flash forwards, asides- things that make the characters remember who they are and how they got to where they are. 

“GO!” She gasps. “Take Aki and go!” 

Go? As in run? 

No.  
  
I need to finish this.  
  
I need to avenge my family. I need to fix this wrong. I need to 

“Daddy!” 

He’s calling me.  
  
Like he has since he was a baby.  
  
I have to keep him safe. I Have to keep him-

He’s dying. I smell it. 

I smell it on him. I smell it on her.  
  
They’re dying.  
  
it’s his fault.  
  
he did this. 

he did this before. he did it now. he’ll do it in the future. 

it has to end. it all has to end. 

I have to end it. I have to end it now. 

It’s a vicious cycle of death and destruction that he’s been wrecking on my family since before I was born. Since before Aki or Laura were born. Since before…. 

The baby. 

Ro’s baby. 

Our baby. 

She’s….. 

He’s… 

A baby. A little guy. Or girl. Not even born yet. 

And he’s had his claws in them. 

They’re part of this cycle before they even draw breath. Before they’re even formed enough for us to know what they are. Let alone see them. 

And they’re in this cycle with the rest of us. Because of me. Because of my genetics. My blood. My.. .shitty parenting. 

I didn’t know she was pregnant. How long has she known? How long has she- 

Not important. Not right now- anyway. I have to end this. For my boy. For my girl. For our little boy or girl that we’re not sure about right now. 

The only way to end this cycle is to end him. 

The only way to end him is to take his head off his shit filled body… bury it. torch his body. Something like that. 

“Now!” 

I’m standing over him, claws drawn. 

“You can’t kill me.” He rasps, laughing. “I am what you will become. No matter how hard you fight… or how heroic you think you are-“ 

This is hitting on levels I didn't know I had.  
  
“You can’t save them… any of them.” He shakes his head, blood pooling from his lips. “You can’t save yourself. You are destined-“ 

I don’t hear his next words. 

“Aki- look away,” I call behind me. 

“Daddy-“ 

“Look away,” I order. 

“That’s right.“ He smirks. “Become the animal you were meant to be. Show him who ‘daddy’ really is. Who he will become. Who you will become. Show him how the world really is in all it’s-“

I snarl, going bringing my claws to his neck.  
  
I plan to decapitate him. I plan-

“Daddy no!” Aki screams when I raise my claws to the man on the ground. 

“Aki-“ 

“I wanna go home.” He sniffs, voice strangled. 

“Baby-“ 

“You can’t kill him!” Aki gasps. “Because then you’re as bad as he is! We’re the good guys” 

That…

I turn in his direction. 

“Foolish child.” he laughs. “So much faith-“ 

“Daddy- please.” Aki begs. 

My five-year-old…. making no sense. He doesn’t understand this. He can’t understand this. 

I need to protect us. 

Me. Ro. His sister. His little brother or sister on the way. 

“Baby-“  
  
“You’re a superhero.” Aki’s breathing is labored.

“Aki-“ 

“We figured it out.” Aki gasps again. “We figured it out… we did what you and Ro Ro would do…”  
  
“Aki-“  
  
“Show him.” He taunts. “Show him what you are.” 

Show him… show him what I am? 

“You’re the best hero.” Aki gasps. “And we need to let him-“ 

His words die down with a gurgle

“Aki?” 

I pull in my claws, rushing over to him and pulling him into my lap, hands on his face to check for breathing. 

“Breathe!” I shake him. “Aki? Baby? Breathe!” 

“You’ve failed again.” Romulus rasps from the floor. “We’ll be seeing you.” 

He goes to get up, but stumbles. He’s too injured to move. I could-  
  
“Daddy-“ Aki rasps. 

I could-

“Daddy!” 

He’s getting away! He’s-

“Your son is dying.” He taunts. “Make your decision. You could finish me- or you could save him. We both know which one you really want.” 

I want him dead. My blood is boiling. My-

“I’ll kill you.” I growl. “I will fucking kill you.” 

“Then by all means.” He tries to get up again. 

Aki’s little mouth opens and closes- he’s not making words anymore. 

He’s…. 

I’m his hero. 

I’m his…. 

“Come now.” Romulus taunts. “Finish it.” 

The only way to finish it is to finish him…… 

But Aki needs me.  
  
To help Aki… I need to let Romulus go. 

Even though we’ll all be at risk. Even though he’ll get away. Even though he’ll torment us for the rest of his natural born life. 

I’ve got to let go. I’ve got to let him live. 

Even after what he’s done to Ro. Even after what he’s done to Aki and Laura. And my family. And hell- me. For Aki… I’ve got to let go. 

This isn’t even a question. 

I start CPR on Aki- keeping him breathing.

His heartbeat is faint. His little shirt is blood soaked. 

Romulus laughs in the distance. 

I wish he would just go. If he’s going to get away- I wish he wouldn’t draw it out. He knows how bad I want him dead. He knows that I want nothing more than his head.  
  
But he stays.  
  
Maybe he can’t move. Ro really blasted him. 

The smell of burning flesh still hangs in the air. 

I keep working on Aki. Trying my best not to think about Ro right now. It’s almost impossible.  

I know… Ro… would want me to take care of him first. She’d want him alive. 

I hear her breathing- shallow behind me.

“Liar.” He chuckles. “Of all the choices you could fake-“  

The lights cut on overhead. Soldiers storm the room. 

It takes a second for me to realize they’re on my side. 

They cuff him on the ground- not like he’s going anywhere anytime soon apparently. 

Medics bat my hands away from Aki- removing him from me altogether. 

I got to Ro- but they usher me away from her. 

Ro’s lifted… she looks like a rag doll. There’s something wrong with her neck… it’s… broken.  

They only have the one stretcher on them at the moment- so they put them together. Both with breathing masks strapped to their faces. 

Ro’s struggles to lift her arm around him, finally pulling him into her chest and closing her eyes. 

There’s blood all over the floor. My clothes are ripped to shreds…. my face smeared in blood…. 

I failed. 

I… 

And Ro.. she’s…

There’s no way a baby could have-

And my baby- my boy- he-

I failed. 

In stories, there are critical flaws in a character. In well-written ones anyway. If the character is too perfect- it’s not worth reading. Flaws make them human. 

Flaws make us all human. 

My flaws….. 

My anger. My hate. My….. desire for revenge. 

I am like him. 

I was molded to be like him. 

By men who would want nothing more than what I wanted just now. 

Aki…. wanted me to be a hero. 

He wanted- 

I’m moving. Laura wrapped around me. We’re going through water. We’re going through the cave. There’s a line of vehicles- waiting. Backup from S.H.I.E.L.D. 

All those kids…. eight of them- right? Dead. 

Sinister nowhere to be seen. I guess he cut his losses. 

I don’t even see any x-men. Just me and my girl. One of my girls. 

There’s almost a blur. A lot like when Aki was hurt the first time. 

Laura is in my lap, arms wrapped around me- we’re in one of the jeeps. Barreling through the jungle on a small path that we didn’t see before. Maybe it’s one they made coming to us. Who knows? 

Not me.  
  
I know nothing.  
  
I claim to know nothing.  
  
Ro…. my lady. My goddess. Pregnant. In the jungle. 

They must have told her last night. It must have been why they didn’t let me in the room. 

Everyone knew. 

Everyone. 

And no one stopped her. 

No one even tried. 

How did this happen?  
  
How… 

“Daddy….” Laura says from buried in my shoulder. “Is Aki going to die?” She reeks of fear. 

I look at her, wiping some tears from her face. “I don’t know baby.” 

“And Ro Ro?” 

I shake my head. 

She hiccups. “Do you think she would have had a girl baby? I’d like to have a little sister.” 

That… I feel like crying myself. 

When I don’t answer she adds, “The white man said that Romulus had to attack her… because she had a baby in her tummy….. he told him to take it out.” 

He…. 

“Did he?” 

“No baby.” I hold her tightly. “He didn’t.” 

“Then the baby is alive?” 

“I don’t know.” I kiss her head. “I don’t know.” 

Laura holds me so tight, it feels like she’s afraid to let go. 

“I think you did the right thing.” She says after a few seconds. 

“Hmm?” 

“You let the bad man go… you didn’t kill him.” 

“Sweetie-“

I don’t know what to say. 

She and Aki have been talking about this. While captured. They’re talking about what the right thing to do was- even though I’m sure I would have done the opposite.  

“Because you’re a hero.” she nods. “And heroes do what’s right. Even if it’s hard. And if no one else is doing it.” 

That…  is what Ro told them. 

That’s exactly what she told them. 

She didn’t want me to finish him. She wanted me to run. To save Aki. 

Maybe if I did he’d be-

No. I can’t even think that right now. 

“That’s right.” I’m so numb. 

“I’m proud of you daddy.” she says.  “Aki is too.” 

That’s….. 

“Thank you, Laura.” 

What I needed to hear. 

It takes the edge off. Things don’t feel so…. disconnected. 

We arrive back at the jet. It’s a long flight back to the mansion. No one says much to me. 

I put Laura to sleep- letting her use me as a pillow. She’s upset plenty- but eventually, her tiredness wins out and she passes out on my chest. 

When we arrive, I can’t bring myself to put her in her bed. Instead, I carry her with me to the med bay and set her up in a free bed. She doesn’t need attention- but if the other two … make it. They’ll be moved here. 

They’ll be- 

“Daddy?” 

Her voice is so tiny. 

“Yea baby?”  
  
Laura pats the bed. “Will you lay down with me?” 

Lay down? I can’t- 

“Please?” 

I keep my sigh internal and walk to the med bay bed, pushing aside the railing and kicking off my boots. “Okay.” 

I lay down on my side, letting her curl up in my arms.

“I love you daddy.” She says gently. “Thank you for saving us before they washed my brain.” 

They…. 

“Oh baby- You know I wouldn’t let them do that.” 

She nods. “But I was scared you wouldn’t make it.” 

“I’ll always find you.” I promise. And I mean it. 

It looks like it could be just me and her. 

And I swear to every god there could possibly be- she will never be taken from me again. I won't’ lose her. I can’t deal with it. 

I can’t deal with losing them. All three of them. 

I keep thinking about the baby. About who the baby would be. About what they would look like. How they would act. 

Ro’s never been a mommy before. She’s never been pregnant.  
  
I think of all the potentially adorable things she could have done while pregnant. 

A brief moment of ‘what if.’ A vision of her huge, barefoot, and smiling. 

It’s winter now. The baby wouldn’t be born until fall. Maybe around Laura’s birthday- if I’m doing the math right. 

Rogue said something about ‘seven months’. So I guess she’s two months along.  
  
She would have started to show soon. Maybe she already was and I wasn’t paying attention.  
  
God I wish I’d paid more attention. 

Maybe we’d actually get hitched. Make it legal. Make it official. 

She’d have adopted the kids- again just to make it legal.  
  
It’s something she wanted to do anyway. We just weren’t married. 

I shoulda married her. 

I shoulda been there for her. 

I thought because she was strong…. 

I thought we could do it. I thought she would make it.  
  
I thought- 

Laura lets out a tiny snore. 

I kiss the back of her head.  
  
Maybe it’s best not to think. 

Maybe it’s best to just focus on the here right now. My girl’s asleep in my arms. Safe. Home. 

I gotta keep her this way. 

If something happens to the others…. if it happens like I think it’s going to…. it’ll just be the two of us. One of us has to keep it together. And it’s unfair to push that burden onto a child. No matter how strong that child may be.  
  
That means it’s me.  
  
I’m the one that’s got to keep it together. 

Me. 

In stories there are pauses. Almost like an Author’s note. A paragraph or line that lets you see into the author’s mind. 

I don’t know what my story is right now. 

A comedy of errors. A tragedy. Maybe an inspiring come back kid kinda tale.  
  
Whatever it is- the next chapter is bound to be better than this. I close my eyes and look forward to it.  
  
To good news.  
  
To hope. 

To finding a will to move out  of this bed when the  time comes and start picking up the broken pieces that need to be fixed. 

It’s hard… and it will get harder. 

But until I get news one way or the other- I’ll guard my girl. Make sure she can sleep. She needs her sleep. I hold her tightly, using my free hand to wrap her in the blankets. 

Today has to get better. It has to. 

There is no other option. I’m not giving fate another option. I’m willing this into being. Nothing bad will happen. Everyone will be alright. And nothing bad will happen. 

I repeat it fifty more times before I feel my own eyes growing heavy. 

I hear footsteps and the sound of wheels on the tile. 

“Just a slight shove into unconsciousness.” Someone mumbles. “Until they move him.” 

Move him? 

My mind is heavy. 

Move who? 

“I’m sorry Logan.” That’s definitely Chuck. “But we can’t have you starting a fight while I scan him…. We think it’s best you get some rest.” 

Scan who?

  
Scan- 

I black out  with my questions unvoiced and unanswered. 

  
Fuck do I hate that. 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FFFFFUUUUUCK did formatting 30 pages suck.  
> Please let me know what you think! This story should wrap up in a few more chapters. six at the most- and that's high balling it.


	16. There will be long chapters pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter.  
> I don't really know when the next few chapters will be updated as some stuff has come up at work. However, I'll try to keep y'all up to date. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!

I’ve lost more people over the years than I can count…and that’s not counting the one’s who died of natural causes. Which at my age is a long list on its own.

No, I mean more so the people who died prematurely because of me. Whether it’s because of my job, their job affiliated with my job, or friends who died in the thick of something I dragged them into.

The people and things I love are always taken from me. Without fail.

Because of people like Romulus.  
Because of things like Weapon X.

Some part of me just has to embrace the fact that in some capacity someone will always be after me. It’s just how it works.

Someone will always be after them. All of them.

It’s enough to drive a man insane.

The thought of Ro right now alone…. with my baby in her stomach and a target on her back.

And then there are the kids. My kids. Targets on their backs as well.

The thing Romulus said about Aki haunts me. How he could turn him into a weapon. My little guy- full of hate and indifference.

That would kill me.

He’s so…. him. His little songs, his little games, his love of his toys, his love of his family- my little guy. Taken from me.

Now it doesn’t matter. There’s a possibility that he’s dead.

Romulus can’t get to him because he already got him.

I lay here and think about it. Which on its own is a weird thing. I’m asleep- but I’m not.

I’m dreaming off and on- but when I’m not I’m in this eerie in between like place that I can’t really name. Or focus too hard on, for that matter.

Thoughts are easy enough to make. It’s easy to be thoughtful in the in between- there’s just no waking. I thought I’d be awake by now.

My dreams have been a little worse than usual.

I hear the kids crying. Ro’s neck breaking. All of it. Played over and over and over again.

I’d like to wake up- I would. But part of me doesn’t know what I’ll find when I do. Who will be left standing, as it were.

It’s selfish- but I stay asleep for as long as I can.

It’s only until I realize that Laura might need me that I feel myself coming to slowly.

I don’t know why they knocked me out- I don’t want to know why they knocked me out. I’m sure they’ll have some sort of longwinded explanation. I’m sure of it.

Right now? I don’t really care to hear it.

If they’ve kept me out- it’s got to be bad news. Chuck’s worried how I’ll react. I might find myself in some kind of containment room. It wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened.

Probably won’t be the last.

If I wake up and Aki and Ro are dead? I honestly don’t know what I’ll do.

The more I start to focus on waking up- the more I start to worry.

There’s a lot to worry about- A lot of unknown shit. But the main reason is because Laura isn’t beside me. I went to ‘sleep’ with her in my arms. Now she’s not here.

And that? That makes me worry. In the wake of the major possibility that I’ve lost both my son, my lover, and my unborn child- losing my daughter due to my own negligence is unacceptable. I don’t smell her, I don’t see her- I don’t even smell a trail she would have left-

I gotta find her.

I know we’re in a safe place- but fuck it. I don’t trust anyone with her safety but me. Not now- not for the foreseeable future.

When my eyes are fully open and my vision clear, I note that I’m still in the room I ‘fell asleep’ in. There’s a tray with some food on it- breakfast shit that I have no intention of eating now. I’m not restrained in any way shape or form. So that’s a step in the right direction.

Most of the time that shit is pointless. It’s gotta be a pretty well thought out system to keep me tied to something for extended periods of time. Chuck has ways around that- however. He’s tricky like that.

I roll out of the bed and start looking for my girl. Searching each room thoroughly. Scenting, looking, moving everything aside. Calling her name- nothing is getting a result.

My search takes me further into the med bay with no result.

The longer I search- the more frantic I get.

My little girl is.. gone.

I stop by a room with the stench of antiseptic and cleaner. It’s been sterilized recently.

“And then Frank swam away with Dragon and Claudia and it was a happy ending.” Her voice.

Telling a story.

“Tell it again. With turtles.” A sleepy little voice replies.

“But I’ve already told it twice,” Laura says. “We need to make a new one now.”

I open the door to a med room and find her sitting on a chair by the bed.

“Turtles, Laura. Tell it with turtles.” The little voice repeats.

“No, Aki.” Laura shakes her head. “Pick a new story.”

“I really want turtles.”

I don’t know how to announce my presence. Neither of them seems to have noticed me.

“How about I tell you ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’?”

“No.” I hate to bust into a conversation like that but… he’ll be up for nights if she tells that story. “No, sweetie. Not that one.”

Laura’s head whips around in my direction. She stares for a second before getting a wide grin on her face. “I found Aki!” She motions to the bed where he’s wrapped up pretty much from head to toe. “He’s sleepy so I told him a story. Hank said he needs lots of sleep and lots of water.”

“He did, huh?” Panic over.

They’re here. Together. Safe.

Not unharmed.

Laura’s got some kind of brace on her hands more so over her knuckles— something that looks like it would treat burns.

The adamantium being pumped through the body can leave burning if it’s hot enough.

Since it’s around her hands like that- I’m betting it did.

“Tell it again,” he repeats. “With turtles.”

And my boy. Here.

He’s not hooked up to any machines. He’s bandaged up pretty good- but he appears to be breathing on his own.

“No. Maybe daddy will tell you a story.” Laura smiles. “Since he’s awake now.”

I lean down by his bed. “Hey, buddy.”

Aki cracks his left eye. “Hey, daddy.” He says sleepily. “Will you tell me a story?”

I push some hair out of his face. It needs cut. He barely lets us do that- though. He refuses to allow it to be any shorter. I asked him what he was gonna do when it got long. He said something about joining a band.

For a five-year-old, I’m sure that’s a reasonable possibility.

“A story?”

He nods. “I’m trying to go to sleep.”

“Oh yea?” I smile at him. “What kind of story do you want to hear?”

“Hmmm…” he opens his other eye. “I don’t know.” Aki taps his finger to his chin. “Hmm… nope. Now I don’t want a story at all.”

“You don’t?”

He shakes his head. “I’m awake now.”

“That’s good.” My baby boy awake. Not moving yet- he’s looking a little stiff and sluggish…. but then I don’t know how bad the wounds are under the bandages. Could be pretty bad.

“Do you like my new look? I’m a bad guy from Scooby Doo! ”

He means ‘mummy’. And fuck does he look the part.

He smells like antiseptic and hydrogen peroxide.

I laugh a little louder than intended.

“You’re all wrapped up.” I smile at him.

“My bandages aren’t red anymore though,” he says with a nod. “They looked scary when they were red.”

Poor thing.

“You okay now big boy?”

“Hank said he’s got boo boo’s all the way up his back and tummy from when they were cutting him open.” Laura nods. “But he’s okay. I checked his vitals.”

I spare her a small laugh. “You don’t know how to check vitals, darlin’.”

Cutting him open?

They didn’t die near as painfully as they should have. .. that is if they died at all.

Thinking back to what he said? About me being the ‘good guy’? I doubt he’ll take kindly to be hunting them down for him.

“I do too.” She crosses her arms. “Nate showed me.”

“Nate’s been in here?”

“With Rachel and his mommy and daddy,” Aki adds. “They were happy daddy. They said we should be happy too.”

We should huh?

“And why’s that?”

Aki grins. “It’s a surprise.”

“Aki stop.” Laura hisses before turning to me. “He’s on medicine that makes him loopy, daddy.”

“Loopy, huh?”

They both nod.

Aki looks down. “They took out my insides so now I have to be on pills that make me not as hurty.”

“Yea?” I crouch down. “Does Hank have you a chart?”

“Chart?”

“Folder?”

“With my numbers and vitals and ouchies in it?” he asks.

“Yea buddy.”

Aki nods. “He let me color on it.”

He points off to the countertop to the side of the room where there’s a manilla folder with a bunch of scribbles on it.

“I like your drawing,” I say as I pick it up. Leafing through the pages I see that he’s had several bouts of ‘organ failure’.

Probably his organs regrowing a little slower than necessary

His ‘boo-boos’ are incision marks and his broken neck. The neck has healed by now, but you can faintly smell where some of his wounds are still open.

“I drew you daddy.” he nods. “See your yellow costume with the ears?”

“The ‘ears’?”

“The pointy parts of your mask.” he nods.

“Oh that’s awesome, buddy.” I smile, flipping through more pages.

Says he was ‘upset’, ‘inconsolable’, and ‘prone to fits of hysteria’.

None of which seem to be affected him now.

We’re all silent for a moment.

“He stopped crying, daddy,” Laura says. “If that’s what you’re looking for.”

“Yea?”

She nods. “I found him and sat with him. When they took Ro Ro away and put her in her bandages and brace- he was scared and sad.I heard him after you were asleep so I went to find him.”

“Now I’m loopy.” he grins. “My ouchies make me cry- though.” he frowns suddenly. “I try to be a big boy, daddy. But I hurt really bad. And I’m really scared.”

“Of course, buddy,” I say. “It’s okay to be scared. You were really brave.”

“I don’t really like hospitals.” He continues. “Not after the mean doctors.”

“Those weren’t doctors, sweetie,” I assure him. “They were bad people.”

“I saw my insides,” he whispers. “On my outside.”

“I know baby.” I take his hand. “I know.”

“And the bad man was trying to take me away where you couldn’t get to me.” He squeezes my hand. “I was scared you wouldn’t find me.”

“I’ll always find you,” I promise, kissing his hand.

“You found me- like you said you would,” Laura says with a nod. “Before they washed my brain.”

“Yep.” I turn to her. “How are your hands?” I motion to the braces.

“They made me wear this cooling thingy.” She waves her hand. “And wanted to give me some of Aki’s pills… but one of us had to be sober.” She nods her head. “It’s the responsible thing.”

That makes me laugh. “Sweetheart- you should have taken the pills.”

“I can’t be drunk- daddy.” She rolls her eyes. “Then who would take care of Aki?”

“You wouldn’t be ‘drunk’. Just….”

“Loopy?” Aki has his fingers in his mouth again. For once, I don’t tell him to remove them. Boys upset. He can get any little comfort he possibly wants.

“Loopy.” I agree.

“I can’t be loopy,” Laura says. “I needed to take care of Aki.”

“Do you hurt now?”

She frowns.

“Sweetie- do you hurt?” I try to sound patient.

Laura stiffly shakes her head.

“I’m awake now.” I soothe. “You can take the loopy pills.”

Laura finally nods. “Okay, daddy. I’ll take the pills.”

“Thank you.”

Aki reaches over and takes Laura’s hands, kissing the brace.

“Feel better,” he tells her. “I even gave you a kiss.”

“Thank you, Aki.” Laura smiles. “But when you grab my hands- they hurt.”

“Sorry.” Aki quickly lets go.

“How are you feeling besides loopy, big boy?”

Aki grins. “Like a mummy.”

“Like a mummy?”

“Ro Ro’s a mummy too!” He sits up in his bed.

“Whoa- whoa buddy. Take it easy.”

He shakes his head. “No. I want to go see Ro Ro. They took her away so fast. And it was a long time ago.”

He pulls on my hand. “We have to go find her.”

“Lay back Aki,” Laura says. “You’ll make yourself bleed.”

“No! We gotta go find Ro Ro for the surprise!”

“What surprise?” I ask him.

“I heard Nate’s daddy in the hall.” Aki grunts in effort. “He said if Ro Ro woke up- she would have a surprise for daddy. I already know what the surprise is- but I want to show daddy. So we need to see if Ro Ro is awake.”

“Aki stop.” Laura orders. “Now.” She turns to me. “This is why I needed to be the responsible one, daddy.”

“Laura,” He groans, pulling on my hand. “Come on daddy!”

I gently push him back to the mattress. “We’ll go find Ro Ro when you’re feeling better.“

There’s a twinge of anticipation in me.

She’ll have a surprise if she wakes up. No guarantee that she’ll actually wake up.

“But they’re gonna put goop on Ro Ro’s tummy and see if they can hear my little brother!” He whines.

They’re…..

They know.

They know and they’re happy.

At least- he sounds happy.

I was worried how Aki would take not being the baby anymore. Some kids are weird about that.

Again though- this hinges on Ro being okay. And her neck…. I’m almost 80% sure it broke. That sound haunts me.

And even if she’s okay- we don’t know about the baby. That’s probably what they’re checking. She went up against Romulus- pregnant. Out of all the reckless things she did yesterday- that has to top the list.

And he knew. He knew.

How did he know?

Was he spying on us before the thing with the turtle? How long has he known about this?

How long has she known about this?

And- side note- where is he?

Even if she’s okay- he’s going to come after that baby. He’s going to come after her.

The only way to keep her safe- to keep them safe- is to remove them. Is to hide- basically. And Ro? Ororo will not stand for that. She won’t leave her home, friends, or job. She just won’t. Not because she’s scared. And definitely not because someone is threatening her.

She’s pregnant.

She’ll want the full experience.

Doctors appointments, birthing classes…. who knows how her powers will react when she’s giving birth. She’ll probably need something to teach her how to handle them.

Being in the subbasement- I can’t see outside. I don’t know if the weather would give a hint to if she’s okay or not. Happy or sad. If it was raining- I can almost guarantee that something went wrong with the baby.

As is we’ll just have to wait and see.

I wonder why she hasn’t started to show yet. Itsu showed pretty early.

Then again some women don’t show until about three or four months. And Ro’s pretty fanatic when it comes to her weight. She works out way more than necessary- that’s for sure. And the woman’s never had an ounce of fat on her. And even if she did- I think she could pull it off.

It takes me back to that comment she made a few weeks ago. How she ‘wasn’t ready to trade in her body yet.’

“Or sister.” Laura crosses her arms. “I want a sister.”

A little boy or girl running around. Maybe with Ro’s hair. That’d be pretty. Someone for Aki and Laura to teach. Another ‘x-baby’ for Nate’s troop. If he’s still into that when he’s nine and the babies Rachel’s age.

“I want a brother,” Aki says stubbornly. “I already have a sister.”

A little boy. Ro’s hair and complexion. My eyes. Her eyes even- they’re both blue.

And a power set… what would that be? Coming from the two of us there’s no doubting he’d be a mutant. Our genetics are too powerful for anything else.

“I want a sister,” Laura says just as stubbornly. “I already have a brother.”

Another thought- A little girl.

All of Ro’s beauty and grace. Some of my temper. Some of Ro’s temper. Something to really set her apart.

She and her big sister would turn a lot of heads- that’s for sure.

“What do you want?” Aki asks, still tugging on my hand.

“A healthy baby,” I say. “That’s all any of us should want.”

Aki sighs. “Yea, okay. I guess. But I’d really like a little brother.”

We won’t know for a few months yet… that is if the baby survived.

“Guys,” I take my hand from Aki and sit on the side of his bed. “Ro Ro got pretty hurt.” I don’t know how to break this to them without dashing their hopes. “There’s a chance that the baby got hurt too.”

They both frown.

“Hurt?” Aki asks quietly.

“In her tummy,” I tell him. “When she got beat up.”

She took a hell of a beating.

“But.. but…” he starts to tear up. “We didn’t get to meet my baby brother.”

“Or sister.” Laura says dejectedly.

That breaks me.

I don’t want to start Aki crying again. I don’t know why I even had to mention that.

Maybe I’m voicing my fears.

It’s probably not a good idea to push those off onto them.

I gotta retract this as soon as possible.  
Definitely a ‘bad daddy’ moment.

Fuck am I having a lot of those here recently.

“We don’t know one way or the other,” I tell them. “There’s a chance…” A very, very, small chance “, that the baby’s fine.” The door behind me opens up.

A don’t know how I feel about Hank being here when I’m trying to explain this to the kids. Hank is great with kids- don’t get me wrong. But he’s used to older kids.

He’s loved having little one’s around- since he himself says he’ll never have children least it distract him from his work (his words)- but sometimes he forgets how little they are.

“More than a chance,” Hank says happily.

I turn to him, waiting for an explanation. “Yea?”

“The baby’s fine.” He peels gloves off his large hands and tosses them in the trash by the door.

This is one of the smaller rooms. It houses two beds, two chairs, a few cabinets with various medical supplies in them… the usual set up.

“Really?”

“Really and truly.” He holds a hand up. “I swear it.”

“And Ro…?”

“Ororo is banged, bruised, and broken- but alive. Awake and talking. Ingesting an unusual amount of food. Eating for two- I suppose.” he pauses. “Her favorites seem to be grilled cheese. Might come in handy for when the pregnancy progresses.”

Grilled cheese?

That’s a relief. For a second I thought I’d have to learn some sort of Egyptian or Kenyan dish. Not that that would be a bad thing- mind you. However, it took me forever to learn how to cook minor Japanese foods and I lived there for quite some time. I’ve never spent a lot of time in Africa. Let alone tried the different foods. I would have no idea what I was cooking or what it was supposed to taste like. Sure, Ro’s cooked a few things before that were amazing. But she never really explained what they were or how she was making them.

I guess I could always get her to show me.

“Grilled cheese, huh?” I smile.

“Oh yes.” He walks beside me, going to Aki’s side. “And you, young man-“

“Are you gonna take my bandages away?” Aki interrupts.

Hank nods. “Some of them.”

“I’ll be less of a mummy that way,” Aki says with a nod. “Then I can go see my little brother.”

“You won’t see the baby for quite a few months,” Hank tells him. “It’s got to stay in Ro Ro’s tummy to get nice and strong.”

“But it’s okay?” I have to ask again.

“Uh hmm.” Hank starts to unwrap Aki’s chest.

I watch in anticipation- to see the damage.

He’s got deep red slashes running up his chest, down his stomach, across his stomach-

“My ouchies look bad,” he says.

“They do.” I bend down over him, examining them.

“These aren’t as bad as they were,” Hank says soothingly. “In fact, these look good, Aki.” Hank praises.

“Good enough for me to go see Ro Ro? I want to ask her about the baby.”

“I think you should rest in here for the time being.” Hank smiles. “Daddy, however,” He turns to me. “Should go see Ro Ro. Post haste.”

Right. That makes sense.

“I’ll watch the children,” Hank says. “I keep some ice cream in my lab. I think they could use a bowl.”

“Ice cream???” Aki sits straight up. “Ice cream! Ice cream!”

“If that’s okay with daddy- of course.” Hank glances up at me, still removing gauze.

“It’s not gonna turn them green or anything- is it?” I ask, smiling.

“No sir.” Hank shakes his head. “Just plain old vanilla.”

I nod. “Go for it.”

“Okay then.” Aki starts to try to get out of the bed.

“Oh no you don’t.” Hank pushes him back. “I’ll go get it.”

“Buttttttttttt……”

“No sir.” Hank shakes his head. “Bed rest. That means resting in the bed.”

“Can I play in the wheelchair?”

“The wheelchair isn’t a bed, son.” I smile.

“Daddy- please?” He begs. “I wanna see Ro Ro.”

“How about we reach a compromise? You stay in bed and we’ll move Ro Ro into this room. Then the two of you can get better together.”

“I like that idea,” Laura says. “Say you like it, Aki. It’s the best deal the grownups are going to give you.”

I chuckle. “That’s right.”

“Okay.” Aki pouts. “But hurry. I have a lot of questions.”

I’ll just bet he does.

“Not too many,” Hank advises. “Ro Ro needs lots of rest. Being a mommy is a lot of work. And the baby is making her tired.”

Aki’s eyes are big. “Okay.” He nods. “I’ll be super careful with Ro Ro so she can make the baby.”

He’s not really getting this whole pregnancy thing- but he’s five. He’s grasping what he can.

“That’s a good idea, buddy.” I lean over and kiss his head. “Do what Hank says- okay?”

Aki nods. “Okay.”

“You too.” I pull Laura into his bed, sitting her down beside him and giving her a hug. I’m so glad they’re okay.

I’m so glad they’re home.

I don’t even want to think about how I’m going to keep them this way.

“Laura’s hands have been hurting her,” I tell him as I straighten up. “She told me she didn’t take the pills because she wanted to stay sober for Aki.”

“Yes, she was very stubborn about that.” Hank walks to the cabinet and starts to pull some orange pill bottles down. “I’m assuming you’re telling me because you want to force the issue?”

I nod. “Yep.”

“I see.” He shakes out three pills into his hand and fills a plastic cup he’s pulled down in the sink. “Okay, my dear.” He turns around to her. “You’re going to want to stay in the bed- okay?”

Laura glances at our feet, not making eye contact.

“It’s okay baby,” I tell her. “It’s just gonna help with the pain. That’s it.”

“But someone needs to take care of-“

“Your little brother is very well taken care of,” Hank promises. “You’ve done amazing, Now that daddy’s awake- it’s time for you to let us take care of you.”

“Take care of me?”

“Yea,” I say. “And that means taking the pills.”

“But-“

“At the very most it will put you to sleep,” Hank assures. “That’s it. You’ll feel loopy and you’ll take a nap. It’s going to be so nice to not have your burns hurting.”

Laura finally nods. “Okay.”

“Thank you.” Hank dispenses a round of pills to Laura, and then a smaller round to Aki before turning to me.

“Go see Ororo.” He orders. “She’s down the hall to the left.”

I leave with an over the shoulder glance, making sure the kids are going to be okay when I go. Of course they are, though. They’re with Hank. Hank’s a pretty good person to be with.

When I walk down the hall, I notice a group of people. Various members of the team posted in the hallway.

Kitty looks up with a smile. “There you are.”

“Just woke up.” I acknowledge. 

“The Professor said he was putting you to sleep while we processed Romulus.”

“Processed him?” I raise an eyebrow. “He’s here?”

That means we can still have words. I can make it clear that he’s going to stop gunning for me. Or else.

She shakes her head. “He was here.”

 “Where is he now?”  
I try not to be pissed that they knocked me out while he was here.

Or- for that matter- why they brought him here in the first place. The last thing I want is that monster under my roof.

I mean, all of the children that were here. All of the things that could have gone wrong. Judging by the laid back atmosphere, I’m guessing nothing happened. Or- if it did- everyone’s got some serious poker faces and are intending to leave me in the dark. That? I find unlikely.

She turns her eyes back to the room. “Under the ocean with several miles of water between him in the surface. Hundreds of miles away from here.”

“He’s at the Raft then,” I say. The Raft. Maximum, maximum, maximum security. Buried so deep and under so much red tape that it hardly matters what happens to the prisoners. No one ever gets out. It’s almost guaranteed that he won’t see sunlight for a very long time.

She nods. “Director Fury thought the security would be enough.”

“It’s never enough.” I cross my arms, looking into the window to see Rogue, Jubes, and Jean gathered around the examination table.

“Maybe this time it will be.” She pats my shoulder. She sounds pretty wise for someone her age. “You should go see her.” She nods to Ro’s room. “She’s a little ticked that she didn’t get to tell you about the baby herself.”

I know everyone already knew- but I bet she’d have wanted to tell them herself.

I’m starting to think they only knew because Hank said something.

None of them seemed surprised on the mission.

“I’ll bet.”

Kitty nods. “She’s gonna be okay,” she says. “And she’ll make a great mommy.”

“Of course she will.”

Kitty smiles. “And I’ll have another little one of yours to teach.”

“Looking forward to it?”

Kitty grins. “Of course I am. It’s not every day we get to mold the minds of little Logan’s.”

“Little me’s- huh?”

She nods. “They’re more like you than you think.”  
I can see it. A little.

“Aki even called someone ‘bub’ the other day.”

That makes me smile. “Oh yea?”

“Oh yea.” She nods “He also flipped Scott the bird when he wasn’t looking.”

That makes my chuckle. “That, I believe.”

Kitty continues to smile. “Go see Ororo,” she says. “She’s missed you. She’s been scared out of her head the last few days.”

“I bet she has.” I nudge past Kitty and walk into the room.

This one a lot of the women know. It’s usually the room set up for female problems. We have a few doctor friends on hand in case of .. ya know. Pregnancies and what not. It’s hard to explain- but the x-men are prepared for everything.  
Better safe than sorry. I guess. Like I said- I don’t know. That stuff kinda weirds me out.

I mean don’t get me wrong- nothing wrong with a woman’s body. There’s just certain shit men are supposed to know about. Kinda kills the mystery.

Ro’s bandaged up a lot like Aki. Covered in stitches. Beside her in an ultrasound machine. In all my years and Itsu’s pregnancy, I never learned the correct words for these things.

“Logan.” Ro sounds relieved. “You’re okay.”

“Me?” I smirk. “I’m fine.” I nod to her. “You? You I’m a little worried about.”

Ro’s got a brace around her neck and bandages everywhere else. Her stomach is uncovered and shining with gel. You can just barely see a little bump. You really have to be looking and know what you’re looking for.

“Me?” she laughs. “Of course I’m fine. It was nothing I couldn’t handle.”

She did shock him pretty good.

“You definitely made an impression.” I bend down over her and kiss her gently.

She’s smiling when I pull away. “I’m guessing you’ve heard the news.”

“Yea.” I look at Jean. “Someone spilled the beans.”

“Only because you were oblivious.” Jean smiles. “And to be fair- that was Rogue.”

“I was actually the last person to know,” Jubilee says. “No one tells me anything.” That sounds sulky.

Typical teenager.

… minus the whole mutant crimefighter superhero saving the world part.

“Relax.” Rogue says. “We’ll tell you next time.”  
“Next time?”

“Kitty and Pete are next,” Rogue says with a grin. “These things are contagious.”

“Contagious?” Ororo grins. “You think so?”

“Oh yea.” Rogue leans against the wall. “Thank god Remy can’t touch me. I think we’d have a little munchkin of our own if he could.”

I watch the women for a few moments. They talk about everything to do with babies and nothing to do with why we’re in here. Why Ro got hurt. The mission. The kids. It’s a light-hearted conversation. And- as much as that is good and all- we don’t need to be having it.  
We need to be talking about what happened. About how to keep it from happening again. About how to better protect ourselves. How to protect the kids. God. Three of them. About four years between Laura and Aki and five between him and the baby. We’ll have to go through teenage years three separate times.

I mean, we would have had to anyway- yea. But we would have possibly, if the kids were closer together, done it at the same time. This time there’s going to be space in between them. And that space means we’ll have to start over from scratch each time. New teenager. New problems. New drama. It’ll be interesting, to say the least. The other women go quiet. Meaning that it’s time to turn the conversation towards things that need to be said.  
Things that mean a lot to me. A lot to our family. The others are just delaying that. I wish they’d leave… but I don’t want to dismiss our friends in case Ro needs them for something.  
Moral support maybe?

“This is what you had to tell me?” I nod to the machines. “This is what we needed to talk about?”

She grins sheepishly. “Surprise?”

That makes me grin. “You shouldn’t have gone on that mission, darlin’. You coulda been hurt- worse.. you coulda died. The baby coulda-“ Ro shakes her head.

“There wasn’t an option. He had the children. There wasn’t time to think. We had to act.” The children.

For the first time since I woke up, I think about the kids that didn’t make it.

Why they wanted them in the first place.

How they got away with it.

It doesn’t make sense. It’s a needless tragedy.

Romulus is good for those.

The other women empty the room without a word.

I’m almost don’t notice them leaving.

I’m betting Jeanie had something to do with that. She’s good and knowing when to pull back.

Jubes is awful at reading cues like that. Rogue’s decent. But Jean? Jean’s a telepath. That makes her the best at social cues.

Into the silence, Ro says, “I’m almost 2 months.”

Two months.

Seven to go.

“Wow. Then you got pregnant…..” I do some math “That night in the bar?”

She smiles. “It would appear so.”

So that’s the official count.

Almost two months. She hasn’t known for that long.

“Aki’s wanting to ask questions.” I take her hand, running my thumb over her knuckles.

She nods. “He’s already asked questions. They removed me so quickly…. I’ve been listening to him cry all this time and-“

Time? “How long have I been out?” I have to interrupt her. Come to think of it, Aki’s wounds had healed a little faster than usual. Especially for the wounds he had.

“Three days.”

“Wow. Chuck doesn’t usually hold me that long.”

“It took a while to question Romulus- I’m told.” she takes my hand. “I myself have been sleeping on and off. It’s been hard listening to the children down the hall.”

“The chart said Aki was upset.”

“He barely let Hank work on him,” Ro says quietly. “Even though he knew him. They couldn’t even give him stitches.”

“He didn’t get stitches?”

She shakes her head. “They tried- repeatedly.”

“I see.” Poor little guy.

“Like I said- I’ve been having to listen to him.”

“Yea?”

I can see where that would be upsetting for her. “I’m sorry, Logan,” she says. “I couldn’t get there in time. I couldn’t hold him off when they took them. Hank says Laura’s claws were coated in adamantium…” She pauses. “Did they-

“No,” I answer before she can ask. “The rest of her is fine.”

Thank god for that.

“She’s been such a little trooper,” Ro says softly. “Taking care of Aki at the cost of her own personal health….. I’m sure they told you about the burns.”

“They didn’t have too.”

“The children are rightfully upset,” she says gently. “Laura about scientists and Aki about guns and doctors.”

Of course. For a moment I didn’t even think how this adventure could have affected them.

“I think maybe we should revisit them seeing someone.”

“Yea. I know.”

But with Romulus alive….

Neither of us says anything for a few minutes.

“I’m proud of you, my love.” she says into the silence. “I know how much you want him dead.”

“I do,” I admit. “I want it more than you could possibly imagine.”

“But you did the right thing.” She squeezes my hand. “That’s what matters.”

“For now.” I agree. “When he comes back….”

“Logan- it’s impossible for him to come back now.”

“Not impossible.” I shake my head. “Never impossible. Just unlikely.”

“Unlikely then.” She agrees. “Don’t let him spoil your outlook. You did what was right. You showed mercy to an enemy. Your biggest enemy. Aki saw that. In light of what Romulus wanted to do to him…. taking him and warping him- I think that was a major step in the right direction.”

“Would he have really taken him?”

She nods. “He was trying…. when I delayed him. Aki put up a hell of a fight.”

“You both did.”

That silence finds us again. It’s not awkward or anything. Just quiet. She’s probably tired.

That was the dark part of the conversation. I don’t see a need to keep harping on it. He’s gone. However momentarily that maybe- he’s gone.

Maybe it’s best to focus on the good things now.

“So…… a baby.” I squeeze her hand again.

“A baby.” she repeats with a smile.

My baby.

“You’re keeping it?”

This is a concern- but in the end- it’s not my choice. It’s not my body. As much as I’d love for us to have a child together… After everything, she’s seen happen to my children- to my women. I mean…. I don’t think I would blame her. It would hurt like hell though. Not that I’d let her know that.

She puts her free hand on her stomach. “Of course I’m keeping it.” she smiles. “It’s our child.”

I can’t help but smile. “Didn’t want to pressure ya.”

“No pressure needed.” She smiles warmly. “After all we’ve been through the last few days, I can see that they’ll be a fighter- like their father.”

“More like their mother.” I grin. “Reckless.”

“I prefer to think of it as ‘strong willed’.”

“That too.”

She glances over at the ultrasound machine. “They said we should be able to hear the heartbeat soon.”

“That’s amazing.”

She nods as much as her brace will allow her. “I should be able to be moved shortly.”  
“Yea?”

She grins. “I could go see our children….. I can’t bear the thought of them crying by themselves anymore."

The idea of my little guy being so upset without either of us there to calm him down is- Sudden screaming breaks the air.

I’m at the door before I can think.

Several people are at the door to Aki’s room- all on our side- of course.

Ro sighs. “It’s time to clean his wounds again.” My guard slowly lowers when I hear the people down the hall trying to calm him.

The screaming stops after a minute.

Ro and I let the silence sit. After a few minutes, there’s a soft knock outside her door.

“Ororo dear, I think,” Hank walks into the room, looking at her chart. “if it’s alright with you, that we can move you into the other room. Get you off of that table and into a bed.”

“Honestly, Henry, I’d prefer my own bed.” She raises an eyebrow.

“Ro….” I start but she holds up a hand.

“My back hurts, my head hurts, my stomach hurts, I’m nauseated, and I’m having to listen to Aki scream every two hours. The three of us, myself and the children, should be moved into my room. We’ll all be much more comfortable and-“

“I can’t do that.” Hank shakes his head. “You have to stay-“

“What’s the difference?” she presses. “None of us are hooked up to anything. The medication you’re giving is done orally. Logan can easily retrieve-“

There’s a distinct “AKI NO!” From down the hall before the sound of tiny little feet hitting the tile.

I poke my head out the room just in time to see Aki come running as fast as he can. I catch him just as he goes to jump up on the table.

“Aki, son, what are you doing?” I grunt in an effort to hold him as he squirms.

“I’m trying to see my little brother!” He squirms and squirms. It can’t be good for him.

“Akihiro, we’ve talked about you staying in the bed.” Hank says ‘seriously’.

“Wanna see Ro Ro.” he pouts.

“Aki,” I soothe. “You’re gonna open your wounds if you keep moving.”

“Lay with Ro Ro.”

“Aki-“

“Lay. With. Ro Ro!” He yells.

“Akihiro,” I warn.

“Ro Ro.” He reaches his bandaged arms out to her. I hate to note that they’re shaking just the smallest bit.

“Come here, darling.” She reaches out for him.

“Ororo, you’re not even in a bed.” Hank tries.

“I don’t care,” Ro says stubbornly. “Bring him to me, Logan,” she orders.

I don’t know who’s wrath I fear more- her’s or Hanks.

Upon second thought- she’s the one I enjoy having sex with…. so I move forward and drop Aki carefully in her lap.

Laura comes into the room quietly.

“Hey baby.”

Aki cuddles up into Ro’s arms, looking pleased with himself.

“Where’s my little brother?” He asks when he’s comfortable.

“The babies not here yet, Aki.” Laura rolls her eyes. “I told him that in the room, daddy. Aki doesn’t want to listen.”

“Apparently, neither does Ro Ro.” Hank crosses his arms.

That makes for an interesting time all around.

“So my little brother’s not here?” Aki pouts.

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet, Aki,” Ro says warmly.

“But if it’s a boy…”

“Then it’s a brother.” She nods.

“Can we name it ‘Aki 2’?”

“Babies don’t have numbers in their names.” Laura shakes her head. “You don’t make sense sometimes Aki.”

“I don’t know what that means.” He sticks his tongue out at her.

“We’ll name the baby something original,” Ro says with a smile. “Something that is different from you and Laura.”

Laura walks over to the bed and takes Ro’s hands. “I was worried about you, Ro Ro,” she says.

“And I you.” Ro smiles. “But we’re all okay now.”

“And the bad man went to jail!” Aki squirms some more.

“That’s right,” Hank says. “Everyone is safe and sound and the bad man is in jail.”

“Even the white man got taken care of.” Laura nods.

The..

I look at Ro who smiles. “Scott stayed behind and rounded up some people. Sinister was one of them. He is also now being housed at the Raft.”

“Nice to know we’re keeping security officers in a job.” I chuckle.

“That’s all well and good.” Hank says, “but all of you need to be resting.”

“In my bed,” Ro says, kissing Aki’s head. “We all want to go to bed.”

“Logan surely you can persuade-“

I hold up a hand to cut him off. “When she’s like this- it’s best just to do what she wants.”

A hard learned lesson.

“Ororo, dear, it’s just not possible for us to move you upstairs.” Hank is ‘putting his foot down’. I don’t know how my other half is going to take it.

“I will walk.” Ro gathers Aki in her arms and goes to stand up.

“Ororo- please.” Hank tries.

“Henry, I want to go to bed. I am uncomfortable down here.”

“I understand that but-“

“We’re going to Ro Ro’s room,” Aki says, crossing his arms as Ro stands to her feet.

“Aki-“

“Ro Ro’s room.”

“I want to go!” Laura goes to Ro’s side.

She’s a sight- Ro. Bandages showing through what’s left of her costume, brace around her neck, hair spilling around her face. And Aki latched around her front.

“Fine.” Hank sighs. “At least let us get you a wheelchair.”  
Ro smiles. “Thank you very much.”

Hank leaves the room shaking his head and mumbling to himself. Something along the lines of him wondering what he’s going to do the next seven months of her pregnancy.

It brings a smile to my face.

“Hard head,” I say.

“Coming from you?” She smiles.

I return her smile. “Ya, I know. That’s when you know you’re bad.”

She reaches a hand out and takes Laura’s. “We’ll all go have a sick day.”

“Sick boys get ice cream,” Aki says with a nod.

“Aki, you’ve already had ice cream,” Laura whispers.

“Yea- but that was white ice cream. I want pink ice cream now. “

“Ice cream doesn’t sound half bad,” Ro says.

“And it begins.” I chuckle.

She raises an eyebrow. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Your cravings.”

She makes a sight- standing there with the kids.

“Ah. Well….”

“Don’t get me wrong- I’ll get you whatever you want. Just pointing it out.”

She smiles. “Consider it noted.”

Noted my ass.

“So…… bed and ice cream,” she says with a nod.

“Bed and ice cream.” I agree.

“For you too daddy,” Laura says.

“For me too.” I agree.

I’m so happy that we’re all safe, together, and well… happy - that I’d give them just about anything they wanted.

“Will you go and get Dragon for me?” Aki asks sweetly.

“Of course, buddy.”

“And my other toys.”

“You can’t take up too much of the bed-“

“And his other toys,” Ro repeats, cutting me off.

“He’s got like.. what? Fifteen?”

“And his other toys.” she grins.

“Fine,” I admit defeat.

“And my books,” Laura says.

“And movies!” Aki adds.

“And my blanket.”

“Okay.” I stop them mid order. “No more. There’s not gonna be any room for sleeping with all this stuff.”

Ro smiles. Radiant. Glowing. “Then I guess we’ll just have to stay awake.”

Awake my ass.

Hanks gonna love that.

“If my lady so wishes.”

Ro nods. “I do.”

As stories wind down, things fall into place. The end of a story leaves the character somewhere different than when they started. That’s just how it works. If there’s no change the story is hardly worth reading. Sure there are those rare ones where the character doesn’t learn anything. That happens.

But the good ones involve some change.

I’d say my story's progressed a good bit from where it started. Two attempted kidnappings, a baby on the way, a happy lover- it’s all going well for me.

Usually, this doesn’t last. Usually. But with Ro? I’m betting we can stretch it out for at least a decade or so before something bad happens. She’s young. She’s got spunk. And fire. And passion.

And me? Well, I ain’t goin’ anywhere.

For once, I look forward to seeing what will happen.


	17. There will be musical education

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!   
> Thanks for reading and commenting and leaving kudos. It really helps to know y'all like it as much as you do!

It’s been quite a few months since the kids were found. 

Things have settled back into somewhat normal condition.Everyone’s healed up and good to go. Ro’s getting bigger and bigger- babies perfectly fine. 

Hank thinks she’s got a touch of my healing factor- which could explain who she’s still alive after Ro’s injuries. 

I don’t know what to say other than that I’m happy she’s alive. Both of them. 

Both ‘she’s’ too. 

The count is now 3 to 1. Aki and I are outnumbered. 

I joked around with Ro saying that once the baby got here we’d have to make another. 

She didn’t find that as funny as I did. 

We’re trying to spend more time together as a family. To get the kids used to the idea of the baby being around. 

Ro’s about six months now. The months are passing by kinda quickly- if you ask me. 

Ro’s handling them with the grace you’d expect from a queen. Even as she’s sick. And swollen. And hungry- god does she eat. 

Aki likes it when she craves food. She’s eating a lot of fish. Aki loves fish. Both as his favorite animal and as his favorite food. Don’t ask me how that works out. I mean logically he knows he’s eating fish. He even calls some of them ‘Dragon’ or ‘Frank’. It just doesn’t seem to stop him. 

Our family time has lead us to the greenhouse today. The indoor one- cause ya know… Aki. 

Who regardless of all his adventures is still terrified of the outside world. We’re working on that though. He can stand in the doorway with the door open to the backyard now. It’s a big step for him. 

Chuck made the kids see a shrink. I don’t know if they really know what’s going on when they see her or if they think it’s a game. She’s talked to be extensively about Aki’s quirks. About how things might be harder on him now- but that he’d probably grow out of it as he got older. 

Which relieved the fuck out of me. I’m always half worried that he’ll be a shut in for the rest of his life. 

Ro’s walking around her greenhouse, making small clouds and watering the plants. She looks amazing. Something about pregnancy just looks good on her. 

Knowing the wonders of childbirth like I’ve come to know- she’ll not be wanting to make a new one anytime soon. So I’ve got to enjoy it while it lasts.   
Or- at the very least- get a lot of pictures. 

“Ro Ro, can Aki 2’s room be blue?” Aki follows her with a watering can, sloshing the water out all over the floor. 

Ro bends down to Aki’s level, hand on her round belly. “The baby is not ‘Aki 2’ Aki.” She smiles. “It’s Kendall.”

I really like the name. She picked it out. 

I think it’s got a certain… I don’t know…. ‘spunk’ to it. 

“I think I like ‘Aki 2’ better.” He sticks his tongue out, picking up his can and dumping a generous amount of water onto one of the standing plants.

“Then it wouldn’t be original.” Ro smiles. “Your sister needs her own name.” 

Ro gently takes the can from him and sets it aside. 

“Okay.” Aki sighs. “But I’m still going to call her Aki 2.” 

“Son.” I chuckle. “No.” 

“I like Kendall.” Laura smiles, playing with one of Ro’s bigger plants. “It’s a pretty name.” 

“Thank you, Laura.” Ro straightens up. 

“It’d be prettier if she was a he.” Aki’s been sulking. He doesn’t much like the idea of having two sisters. 

“It’s very pretty.” I ruffle his hair. “Chill out.” 

“I don’t want to chill out daddy.” Aki grabs my hand before grabbing Ro’s and pulling us together. “Kiss so you can make another baby and this one can be a boy!” 

Ro grins. “That’s not how this works, darling.” 

Aki frowns and lets go. “A girl won’t like to do boy things.” 

“I’m sure she’ll like plenty of stuff you like,” I assure him. 

“Are you sure she’s not a he Ro Ro?” 

“I’m sure.” She smiles radiantly. 

“Can you make her a he?” 

“Son,” I field that one. “You’re having a sister. Not a brother. Sisters are fun. You like your sister.” 

“But she’s my BIG sister. I’ve never had a LITTLE sister.” He says like that explains everything. 

“Doesn’t matter. You’ve never had a little brother- either. How do you know he won’t be just as bad?” 

Aki puts his hands on his hips and pokes out his bottom lip. “But I really wanted a brother!” He sounds like he’s going to throw a fit. 

“Akihiro,” I warn. 

Ro puts a hand on my shoulder, mouthing, ‘let me’. “Aki,” she bends down again. “Kendall is going to need you to be her big brother…. like Laura is your big sister.” 

He looks her over carefully. “To keep her safe?” He asks. 

“To keep her safe. And teach her things.” 

“Like how to get cookies!” He claps his hands together. 

“Uh hmm.” 

“And how to disco.” 

“That’s right. It doesn’t matter if she’s a she or a he- you’ll be a great big brother.” 

Aki grins ear to ear. “You’re right- Ro Ro! I’ll keep baby Kendall safe from all the monsters in the water and the outside.” 

Hmmm…… 

“Maybe must teach her about cookies and disco.” I offer. 

Aki shakes his head. “My little sister has to stay away from water and outside. Those things aren’t safe. I know. Because I’m her big brother.” 

“Aki, only you are afraid of those things,” Laura says. “Baby Kendall will want to go outside and play.” 

“No. We’ll stay inside.” He nods his head. “Where it’s safe.” 

“Babies need sun, Aki,” Ro says. “And fresh air.” 

he needs sun and fresh air. 

“But you just said I have to keep baby Kendall safe.” He sounds as confused as he looks. 

“Outside’s not dangerous, buddy.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “And water isn’t either. We don’t want her to be afraid of anything.” 

“But that keeps you safe,” he says pointedly. 

“Mmm… no. As long as you’re careful, you’ll be okay wherever you are.” 

“Really?” He sounds doubtful. 

“Really and truly.” I squeeze his shoulder. “I can show you. We can go outside right now.” 

“Right now???” 

I nod. 

“Really?” 

I nod again. “To make sure it’s safe for baby Kendall?” 

“To make sure it’s safe for Aki.” I correct. “For you.” 

“But… but….” 

“I’ll hold your hand the whole time.” I offer. 

“I’ll hold your other hand, Aki,” Laura says with a nod. 

“Guys,” he says, holding up a hand. “The outside is not safe. We can’t go into the outside.” 

“I go outside all the time.” Laura puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not in any danger.” 

“Go outside, Aki.” Ro encourages. “Find me something pretty from my garden that I can put on the nightstand.” 

Aki concentrates for a second. 

“You want something pretty?” he asks. 

She nods. 

“And it will help you make baby Kendall strong?” 

Ro chuckles. “Not necessarily. But I’d love to have something to brighten the room.” 

It’s quiet for a second. “Okay daddy.” he offers his hand to me. “I’ll go outside.” 

That’s … new. 

“That’s great buddy.” I take his hand. Laura takes his other one and we start to walk down the hall, through the kitchen, and out the back door. 

“It’s sunny.” He stops us in the doorway. “It’s pretty today.” Laura agrees. “Bobby said he’d take me and Nate swimming later.” 

“Swimming???” Aki starts trying to bolt back through the door. 

“No Aki- buddy- no.” I hold onto while he squirms. “You don’t have to go swimming.” I soothe. 

“No!” He kicks. “No!” 

This isn’t working. 

I can’t force this on him. 

“Okay, buddy,” I say gently. “Okay. You don’t have to come outside.” 

I turn around and place him on his feet in the kitchen. Poor things crying again. 

I crouch down in front of him. “Buddy,” I soothe. “Look here.” 

“I’m sorry daddy.” He sobs. “I’m too scared. I’ll make a bad big brother!” 

“No, you won’t,” I say. “Aki, you’ll be a great big brother.” 

Laura comes up and gives him a big bear hug. “It’s okay Aki.” She says. “I’ve got you.” 

After a few minutes, he quiets down. 

“I didn’t get Ro Ro anything pretty.” He says in a pouty tone. 

“I know something she’d like.” I stand up and go to the fridge, digging through it to find some staples we keep on hand. Things we’ve learned to have within arms reach over the last four months. 

“Oh yea!” Aki runs over to me. “We can make Ro Ro lunch!” 

“Yup.” 

“Eggs on toast!” He pushes past me and climbs straight into the fridge, trying to grab the eggs. “Get out of there.” I chuckle. 

“I’ll get the bread!” Laura starts to dig through one of the cabinets. 

Between the two of them, they’ll have the kitchen wrecked in a matter of moments. 

“And ice cream!” Aki calls, still standing in the fridge. 

“Get out of there,” I repeat. “You’re gonna drop something.” 

“No, I’m not.” 

“Yes, you are.”

“Nu-uh.” 

His arms are full of cheese packets, a packet of bacon, and some green peppers. “Gimme those and get out of the fridge.” I hold my hand out to him and he sullenly passes over everything but the peppers.” 

“George and Ringo.” He says with a nod. 

“Those are Beatles,” I say without much thought behind it. 

“No, they’re peppers.” He says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. 

“No- they’re-“ 

“They’re obviously peppers, daddy,” Laura says. 

“But the names-“ 

“They’re great names for peppers!” 

I give up. 

“Fine. Don’t drop George and Ringo on the floor.” Aki smiles and hops out the fridge, running over to the kitchen table and dropping his peppers in the middle.

“Need those on the counter, bud.” I juggle the items in my hand with closing the door to the fridge. “I can’t slice them all the way over there.”

“George and Ringo are not for eating.” He gasps. Oh. We’re doing this again. 

Nope. Not with peppers. Veggies and eggs are the things this little stunt don’t fly with. 

“Food isn’t a pet, son.” 

Aki puts his hands on his hips. “George and Ringo are NOT for eating. They’re for atmosphere.” 

“Atmosphere?” 

The hell did he get that from? 

“They’re Ro Ro’s something pretty.” He says with a nod. “Look how green they are!” 

“Peppers aren’t pretty Aki.” Laura is messily untying the bread and rummaging through to find the perfect piece. 

Aki frowns. “No. George and Ringo are very pretty. I’ll tell Ro Ro that I couldn’t get a flower from her garden- but that I found them in the fridge instead.” 

“Peppers are for eating.” I try to navigate what could possibly be a tantrum. “I bet Ro Ro would like those to go in her eggs.” 

“No. Cause then they’ll get all cooked and not be pretty anymore.” Aki shakes his head stubbornly. “No one is eating George and Ringo.” 

“Where did you get those names?” I have to ask. 

“They’re members of the Wiggles,” he says without missing a beat.

The… oh hell no. 

“No.” I chuckle. “No son. That’s not even half true.” 

“They’re members of the Wiggles.” he insists. 

He’s too young to have watched anything but reruns of “The Wiggles”. 

“No, they’re not. They’re members of the Beatles. They’re a Rock group from-“ 

“George and Ringo are members of the Wiggles. They wear Red and Yellow.” 

“No-“ “Wiggles.” He says with a nod. “I know this.” 

“You know wrong-“ I laugh. “George and Ringo are members of the Beatles. Trust me. I was alive back then.” 

“No…….” He stretches the word out. “They’re members of the Wiggles. And now they’re peppers… for Ro Ro.” 

His rock history is failing. It’s cute though. He believes this with full conviction. 

“George and Ringo are from the Beatles,” I say again. “Not the Wiggles. Who told you that?” 

He looks at me for a second. “Remy.” 

“Remy told you that George and Ringo were from the Wiggles.” That sounds like something he would do- spread misinformation for the hell of it. True to Remy’s style. A little bit of controlled chaos. 

“Yep.” 

“You know I’m older than Remy- right?” 

“Uh huh.” He says patiently.“And that if there was a band in the 60’s I would know more about it than him.” 

“Remy says you know nothing,” Laura says. “I don’t believe him though. I think her’s trying to be funny.”

Funny-huh. He’s a real riot. 

I turn to her. “I know lots of things.” 

Like I know that he’s quoting Game of Thrones when he says that. And I’m gonna kill him for it. 

“Not about the Wiggles,” Aki says wisely. 

“Have you even watched The Wiggles?” I turn back to him. 

Aki shakes his head. “No.” 

“Then how do you know-“ 

“I know things.” He nods. “Especially about The Wiggles.” 

This is not what I expected to be arguing about this morning. 

“You don’t watch The Wiggles,” I say.

“So?” 

I have to grin. “So you don’t know anything about them because you don’t watch them.” 

“I watch tons of stuff.” He scoffs. 

“Yea. Aki watches stuff on the tablet!” Laura adds, bringing two slices of bread over to the table. 

“Okay- yea. But does he watch The Wiggles?” 

She shrugs. “I don’t know.” 

“Then why-“ “George and Ringo are Wiggles. They wear Red and Yellow. Wiggles are from Ireland-“ 

“No they’re not.” I bust out laughing. “Where are you getting this from?” Aki crosses his arms. “You don’t know anything about The Wiggles, daddy.” 

“Neither do you!” 

Aki sighs a long suffering sigh. “Grownups think they know everything,” he says to his sister with an eye roll. 

“Most of the time they do.” she says back. 

“Daddy doesn’t know about the Wiggles though,” he says. 

“The Wiggles are Australian.” I have to pause. “I think. Definitely not Irish- though. That’s not how Irish people talk.” 

“They sing songs,” Aki says. “Fun songs.” 

“You’ve heard them sing?” He nods. “Kitty played it on her phone.” 

Ah. “Then you know they’re not Irish.” 

“I thought that’s what Irish people sounded like.” 

“It’s not.” 

“Oh.” 

“Oh,” I repeat. 

We’ve just wasted ten minutes. Ro’s bound to think somethings up. 

“Ringo and George are part of the Wiggles though,” Aki says. 

“They’re part of the -“ I stop with a sigh. “If you want them to be Wiggles then they’re Wiggles.” 

I don’t have to be right here. And obviously fighting with him isn’t getting my point across. It’s a funny thing- parenting. 

You- an adult- have to hold conversations with someone much, much, much younger than you while trying to teach them ways of the world- and they do everything in their little powers to throw as many curveballs in your face as possible. It’s not important that my five-year-old know how the Beatles are. Fuck- that’s not important knowledge for anyone really. It’s one of those ‘Let it go you don’t have to be right’ moments.

“I’m glad we can agree.” He sounds like a little businessman. Or a CEO buying my company. 

“I’m glad we can too.” I sigh. 

“Can we listen to the Wiggles?” 

“No,” I say flatly. 

Aki pouts. 

“I wanna hear ‘Blackbird’.” 

Black- “That’s the Beatles!” I groan. 

“No- that’s the Wiggles.” 

The kids stare at me for a second. “Daddy looks confused,” Laura whispers. 

“He needs to get his music straight.” 

I need to strangle Remy. That’s what I need to do. 

“Let’s just make Ro Ro breakfast.” I sigh. 

They both sound happy about that. 

I turn around and get everything ready. The kids are strangely quiet while I scramble the eggs. So much so that I have to check on them every three or so minutes. 

“‘cuse me.” Something brushes up against my legs. 

I look down to see Aki digging into the packets of cheese, wiggling his way between me and the stove. 

“Son.” I chuckle. 

“Cheese.” He says simply. 

“Move away from the stove.” I point with my hand. 

When looking over at the table, Laura’s gone. 

“Laura?” 

“At the toaster.”

I turn in that direction just in time to see her extending her claw to stick it- “NO!” I quickly fall over myself to grab her claw and keep it out of the toaster. She looks surprised. “Metal.” I point to the claw, letting it go and wiping my bloody hand on my jeans. “Metal and electricity do not mix. Never stick metal in the toaster.” 

“Oh.” She frowns. “My old claws could go in the toaster.” 

“What are you even doing?” 

She picks the entire toaster up and shows it to me. “The bread is stuck.” 

“Oh.” I take the toaster and bang on the side. A few hits and it shoots the bread up. Luckily- very luckily- unburnt. 

“It’s saved!” She claps her hands. 

I exhale slowly, going back to the stove and plating the eggs. 

“Bring the toast over here, sweetheart.” 

She drops the toast onto the green plate on the counter. 

“That should do it.” 

Eggs and toast. No peppers because ‘George’ and ‘Ringo’ the Wiggle peppers are for ‘atmosphere’. 

“Ro Ro will be so happy! She loves food!” Laura says happily. 

“Yep.” I’m sure that I’m the one that carries the plate as we make our way upstairs. 

Laura’s picked up a can of soda and Aki carries his peppers. 

Ro’s back in her room like I knew she would be. 

“Ah!” she says happily. “You read my mind!” 

She’s sitting in the bed on her laptop. 

“Breakfast Ro Ro!” Aki says happily, running over to her and passing her the peppers. 

“Ah…” She looks at them. “Thank you, Aki. But I like peppers-“ 

“They’re not for eating.” He shakes his head. “They’re your something pretty.” 

“OH. I see.” She smiles. “Thank you.” 

He nods. “Their names are Ringo and George. After the Wiggles. But daddy keeps calling them bugs.” 

I groan and put the plate on the bed. “I know nothing.” 

“About time you caught on.” she teases. 

“Ro Ro- is baby Kendall moving again?” Laura asks. “I wanna feel her.” 

Ro shakes her head. “No dear. She’s been pretty quiet this morning.” 

“Oh.” Laura frowns. “She’ll probably pick up when Ro Ro eats.” I offer. She usually does. 

“Really?” Laura walks over and gives Ro the soda. She stands there for a second before reaching up and shutting Ro’s computer and taking it off her lap. 

“Laura,” I warn. 

“It’s breakfast time for Ro Ro.” She says defensively. “The baby needs food.” 

Ro is smiling. “Thank you, Laura.” 

Laura nods. 

Aki climbs up into the bed and watches Ro eat for a second. “I want some eggs,” he says. 

She gives him a bite. 

“Now some toast.” She gives him another bite. 

“Sip of drink?” 

Ro is grinning as she passes over the Coke. “Little sip.” 

He doesn’t take a ‘little’ sip. But she doesn’t yell at him. 

“Daddy cooks good,” Aki says, licking his lips. 

“He does.” Ro agrees, eating some more eggs. 

Nice to know I’ve got their approval. 

“I want eggs now,” Aki says. 

“Son-“ 

I don’t want to cook any more eggs. Or toast. I’m pretty much cooked out. “Can you make some eggs daddy?” 

He’s got his best ‘puppy dog’ eyes on. 

“You’ve already had breakfast.” I try to steer the conversation in a direction that involve me going back downstairs. 

“Please daddy?” “I want some too,” Laura says with a nod. “All we had were pop tarts.” 

“You like pop tarts.” I scoff. 

“But it’s not eggs,” Aki says. 

“Logan…” Ro chuckles.

“Please make us eggs, daddy,” Aki begs with his big eyes. 

“Sure buddy.” I sigh. “I’ll make more eggs.” 

I accept defeat. 

“And bacon?” he asks. 

“Bacon?” 

“American bacon,” Laura adds. 

I sigh again. “Yes. Bacon.” 

“Americ-“ 

“American bacon.” I cut Aki off. 

“Yay!” Laura claps her hands. “Two breakfasts!” 

In a story, there are things that go right. 

Chapters that are well worded. Sentences that all well structured. All that nice shit. 

Lately, my story has been going a lot smoother. OF course, everything could change when the baby actually gets here- but right now? Right now it’s good. 

It’s a rare moment that we can all actually just be happy. Sure we’re still on missions. Sure the world still sucks. 

But the kids are safe now. Ro’s safe now. 

It feels like everything’s just fallen into place. 

Shit like this usually doesn’t last. Not for me. But fuck if I’m not going to enjoy every last second of it while it’s here.


	18. A baby, a surprise, and an ending!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. yea. Fluff. If you've read my other stories, I'm somewhat on the bad side of fluff. This story has been somewhat of a change of pace for me. 
> 
> However, that being said, I tried my hardest. Haha .
> 
> Thanks so much for all the support on this story. 
> 
> I'm already playing around with the idea for a sequel... so stay tuned! 
> 
> As always, Let me know what y'all think! Thanks for reading!

“Is Kendall here yet???” Aki is jumping up and down in my lap. 

“No buddy.” I chuckle. “They just took Ro Ro back five minutes ago. It’s gonna be a while yet.” 

“I want my little sister now.” He pouts. 

“Be patient, Aki.” Laura chides. “Ro Ro sounded hurt. We don’t want her to get more hurt.” 

Ro did sound to be in a lot of pain. 

When Itsu had Aki… well, she didn’t really have him. I took him. It was painful for her- I’m sure. I’m more than sure. But it was something that had to happen. 

Ro being in pain was…. an odd experience. The wind picked up outside, the sky got cloudy, at one point it started to rain- it was worrisome. 

“Is Ro Ro hurt, daddy?” Aki gasps. 

“No buddy,” I assure. “But having a baby… hurts a little bit.” 

“Like all my ouchies?” 

I nod. “Like that.” 

“Do they get to give her any medicine?” Laura asks, standing up from her chair in the waiting room and walking over to me, arms crossed across her chest. 

“Yeah, baby. She’ll get some pain medicine.” 

“Good pain medicine?” Laura asks. 

“The best,” I assure her. 

“Good.” Aki nods. “Because I want to give her my present.” 

“Your present?” I chuckle. 

“For Ro Ro. The prettiest lady I know.” He nods. 

“I’m sure she’ll love it.” I ruffle his hair. “Are you two going to behave for Kitty when she gets here?” 

They nod. 

“Good. Because I’m going to have to go back with Ro Ro and-“ 

“No fair!” Aki grabs my face. “You get to see baby Kendall first!” 

I smile at him. “Yep. That’s the perks of being the daddy.” 

Aki pouts. “I want to see her so bad.” 

“Me too.” Laura nods. 

“You’ll have to wait.” I’m glad they’re excited… but I wish I could have left them at home and had someone bring them to me when the baby got here. 

The baby. Wow. Another one. 

It’s so… odd. I’m happy- there’s no doubt about that. But I’m worried, I’m stressed, I’m borderline freaked out if we’re being honest. 

And it’s Ro who’s got to do all the work! I mean really- I’m doing nothing. 

Outside the windows there’s a crack of lightning. 

Aki looks at it and frowns. “Ro Ro is making angry weather.” 

“Ro Ro is making angry weather.” I agree. “But I’m sure she’s fine.” 

I hope she’s fine. 

She handles pain like a champ- I know. But hearing other women in her Lamaze class talk about their previous pregnancies made her a little jumpy. Fuck it made me jumpy too. Shit sounds like it hurts. 

“That’s a lot of angry weather,” Aki whispers before turning to me. “Daddy is Ro Ro going to be okay??” 

“She’s fine buddy.” I soothe him. “She’s got great doctors and nurse’s to make sure both she and Kendall are okay.”

He frowns. “I wish I coulda given her my present.”

I wonder what item he’s picked up that he wants to give her. He’s not been anywhere but my room, the car, and the hospital. If he picked something up from the hospital- it’s probably best not to take it to her room. 

“What kind of present did you get her, buddy?” 

Aki puts his finger over his lips. “It’s a secret present. I found it hiding. So it’s a secret.” 

“A secret present huh? Where did you find it?” 

Aki grins. “At the house.” 

“Oh? Where at?” 

“You’ll never guess.” He giggles. 

“You won’t.” Laura grins. “It was hiding really good.” 

“So you know what it is?” I turn to the girl. 

Laura nods. “Ro Ro is gonna love it, daddy!” 

Fine. “And you’re not going to tell me what it is?” 

“Nuh uh.” Aki shakes his head. 

“Can I see it?” 

“Nuh uh.” 

I sigh. “Is it dirty?” 

“Nope.” Laura giggles. 

“Is it a vegetable that we’re going to have to put in the freezer?” 

Aki keeps bringing her vegetables. Not cooked. Not sliced. Just vegetables. He thinks they look pretty and Kitty told him that vegetables make babies strong. He doesn’t seem to understand that they’ve got to be cooked first. Or- in the very least, washed. 

“Silly daddy.” Aki giggles. 

“Daddy is silly- huh?” I chuckle. 

I wish I’d dressed the two of them better. It’s easily three AM- if that early. It might be closer to four. They’re both in their PJs. Aki’s are Spider-man and Laura’s are just a pair of her soccer shorts and an x-men t-shirt. Aki isn’t even wearing shoes. 

The house had an attack last week- damaging a lot of the medical rooms and supplies. So using Hank’s lab wasn’t an option. We had to do it old school. Get her in the car, get her to the hospital, and hope she didn’t deliver en route. 

The waiting room is painted in dull colors, pictures of newborns on the wall as well as a mural of the stork.   
Aki was upset that it wasn’t Big Bird. He wanted the stork to look like big bird. The mental image was enough to make me laugh. 

Aki sits in my lap and cuddles up to my chest. “I’m sleepy.” 

“Shh.” I pat his back. “Close your eyes buddy. You can take a nap on daddy.” 

Laura takes the seat beside me and leans on my shoulder. “Me too.” She says. 

I nod, listening to the silence as the two of them start to drift off. Several doctors and nurses come and go out of the waiting room, luckily none of them waking the kids. 

I’m not surprised to smell Kitty’s tale tell perfume about thirty minutes into their nap. 

“Awh.” She whispers. “Hey daddy… excited?” 

I nod. “Take Aki- will ya?” 

She slowly trades places with me, taking Aki from my arms, and placing Laura’s head on her shoulder. Neither of them seems to note the shift change. 

I look at them for a second before Kitty shoos me away. “Go.” She says. “The weather’s pretty rough outside. I think Storm’s having a bit of a hard time.” I nod. “Thanks.” 

Kitty smiles. “Of course. Go on. I’ve got the kids. Go make sure the newest X-baby get’s here safely.” 

That makes me chuckle as I head to the nurse’s desk. I tell her what room Ro’s in, and follow her down the hall. I was expecting some kind of gore or something when I get there, but I’m surprised to see just Ro and one other nurse. No big drama. Nothing seems to be happening. 

“Logan.” Ro sighs in relief. “Thank heavens.” 

“Darlin’?” I look at the nurse- scrubbed up in pink scrubs, gloves, and mask- looking very pissed off. 

“Your wife wouldn’t push until you got here.” The woman says snappishly. 

Ro’s forehead is covered in sweat. “Our child will not come into this world without her father present,” Ro says stubbornly. 

I notice that several of the trays and birthing apparatus are pushed to the wall. “Given them a hard time, huh?” 

Ro smiles, but it turns into a wince. 

“You can call the doctor now, nurse.” She hisses. 

The woman nods. “Finally.” She says under her breath. 

I walk over and take Ro’s hand, watching her close her eyes and inhale deeply. “You didn’t correct them,” I say with a chuckle.   
Everyone has assumed we were married since Ro got pregnant. She usually corrects them. 

“It’s getting tiresome.” She chuckles breathily. 

“I’ll bet.” I kiss her knuckles. “You look beautiful darlin’.” 

“Me?” She chuckles. “I’m drenched, my legs are in stirrups, and I’ve been on display for at least twenty people.” 

“ON display- huh?” 

She smiles with her eyes closed. “Birth is actually somewhat demeaning.” 

“The last thing in the world anyone could do is demean you.” I chuckle. 

“How are the children?” She asks. 

“Sleepin’. Really excited.” I kiss her again. “Worried about you.” 

“Me?” I nod. “Weather is kinda rough outside.” 

She frowns. “I thought I was exerting more energy than this called for.” 

Chuck wanted her to wear a collar. I refused. 

The world can stand a few hours of rain. My lover will not be collared like a dog. I won’t allow it. 

Such a proud, majestic, force of nature itself, cannot be contained. Not in one of her most personal moments. 

“Ugh.” She groans. “I think it’s time.” 

“Already?” 

She nods quickly. “I feel like it’s time.” 

“Did they give you any pain meds?” 

She shakes her head. “I asked for a natural birth.” 

That…. shocks me. “What?” 

She nods. “I can handle it.” 

“Ro-“

“I can handle it.” She presses with a smirk. 

“Stubborn.” I chuckle. 

“As ever I was.” She smiles brightly. 

The nurse comes back with five more nurses and a doctor. The doctor is scrubbed up as well and smiling far too wide.   
“I see daddy is here.” She claps her gloved hands together. “Let’s take a look.” She goes between Ro’s legs. I make it a point not to look. “Oh, yea.” The woman says. “Mommy, if you feel the urge to push- I’d say now is a good time to do it.” 

Ro nods and seems to concentrate a little harder. 

“Good, that’s good.” The doctor says. “That’s really good mommy. Why don’t you push just a little more-“ 

Ro let’s out a grunt and a whimper. She squeezes my hand as hard as she can. “Little more,” The doctor says, “Come on, push now.” 

Ro’s whimper grows. 

“A few more,” 

She bears down as hard as she can, letting out a yell. “Babies crowning.” The doctor says happily. 

“Look at that hair!” One of the nurses says. 

“Come on, darlin’.” I soothe. “You got this.” 

I hear the wind outside in the hall way- the weather outside must have really picked up. 

“Come on, big push-“ 

Ro let’s out a scream, head back, hair slicked to her fore head. Even now she’s beautiful. 

“You’re doing great,” I tell her. “Come on- you’re doing fine.” 

She nods, eyes screwed shut and brows scrunched together. 

“You’re almost there.”

I watch her, and it feels like I’m disconnected from my body. She’s in so much pain. So much torment. I hear her screaming, I hear her crying, I hear her struggling - it’s like an out of body experience. She squeezes my hand so hard that it feels like she’s trying to manually pop my claws. It’s somewhat of a hella strong show of strength. One more scream and grunt, and suddenly there’s a new sound. A beautiful sound if I ever heard one. Crying. 

A new little voice- screaming its head off. Her head off. 

“Congratulations, mommy!” The doctor says, arms holdings this little slimy creature that is my daughter. “And daddy.” The doctor motions me to the business end of things. “Cut the cord.” She goes to hand me scissors, but I don’t want to wait. I wanna hold my girl. I extend one claw and cut it myself, gaining wide eyes from the doctor. “Okay then.” She offers me the baby, who I take faster than I probably should have. 

“Let me see.” Ro rasps. 

I look down into the screaming bundle in my arm’s eyes. Beautiful. Just like Aki was. Probably Laura too- though I never got to see her. 

I hold still, rocking Kendall a little. “Hey…. hey baby,” I tell her. “Hey..” “Logan- let me see.” Ro orders. 

I move to her, holding Kendall so she can see. 

“She’s beautiful.” Ro gasps, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Logan she’s beautiful.” 

“Oh yeah.” I put her on Ro’s chest. “Like her momma.” 

She puts a hand on the back of the baby’s head, holding her in place as she cries. 

Kendall has a head full of white hair- fine and fuzzy. She’s covered in gunk- but I can see that her skin’s just a little lighter than Ro’s. 

She doesn’t stop crying for another five minutes. They finish up with Ro… and then it’s time for them to take her. Ro doesn’t like that. 

“I can’t keep her?” She gasps. 

“We need to run checkups.” The doctor says with a smile. “She’ll be just fineeee.” 

“But-“ 

“We need to get you cleaned up, mommy. And into a room. Daddy can come with us if you’d like.” 

Ro nods. “Please.” 

“Okay.” The doctor takes Kendall and places her in a little clear box that’s on a small gurney, wrapping her up in a blanket. “This way.” 

Kendall is taken to a room filled with other babies. A nursery. Fuck. That’s the word. A nursery.   
The wash her, check her heart and her lungs, weigh her- everything. Then they dress her in a pink outfit and put her with the other babies.   
Our little girl. 

She’s the most beautiful baby in the room- I swear. 

I stare at her for a long time- just standing there. She’s here- she’s safe. She’s beautiful. 

Her little voice is strong and sweet- even when she’s crying. To imagine what she’s going to do in this world- what she can do. What doors will be open to her. How loved and protected she’s going to be. It makes me kinda dizzy. 

She’s safe. I just keep coming back to that. All that worry- all these months of ‘is she okay?’ ‘what if she’s not okay?’ ‘what if Ro’s not okay?’ ‘is she safe?’ 

And now she’s here. Perfectly healthy. Shortest labor time in the history of women- I’d wager. Barely two hours. “Daddy?” A nurse is behind me. “You should go check on your wife. Baby needs to sleep… we’ll bring her around in a little while- when it’s time to feed her.” 

I nod but stay still. “Really,” The nurse says with a chuckle, “She’s fine.” 

I glance over at her again- I don’t want to leave. 

“Mommy probably needs some lovin’.” The nurse says softly. 

She’s right- but I’m still torn. 

“She probably wants to know babies safe too.” She whispers with a chuckle. 

Right. 

I nod and leave, looking back over my shoulder so distractedly that I almost run into the door. The nurse lets out a loud laugh and waves me on. 

I track Ro to her new room by scent. Outside, the rain’s stopped and dawn is breaking through the few clouds that remain.   
I hear people talking about how odd the weather’s been as I make my way to the room, smiling all the while. 

Ro’s propped up in her bed, staring at the door as if willing me into existence. 

“Hey, darlin’.” 

Her smile breaks over her face- just as radiant as the sun outside. 

“How’s Kendall?” 

“She’s even more beautiful clean.” I smile. 

Ro closes her eyes. “Are they bringing her soon?” 

I nod. 

“Did the nursing staff seem capable?” 

“Yes.” I chuckle. “They were more than capable.” 

She laughs. “I can’t believe I’m not pregnant anymore.” 

“Well…” I laugh. “That’s how birth works.” 

“I know, I know.” Ro opens her eyes. “It just feels strange.” 

“You’ll feel better when you hold her,” I tell her. 

She nods. 

I go to the side of the room that has her emergency bag in it and pull out my cell phone. 

“Kitty’s texted,” I tell her. “And Rogue…” I scroll through the phone. “And Remy. And Hank. And Betsy. And Jean.” The phone buzzes. “And Bobby.” 

She laughs. “Tell them all is well.” 

I nod, sending out a single group message to tell them that Ro and Kendall are fine. 

Kitty texts back first and asks if it’s okay to bring the kids back. 

“Aki and Laura wanna come back,” I tell her. 

Ro nods. “But of course. Bring my babies to me.”   
Her babies. That makes me smile. 

I tell a nurse in the hallway to tell whoever is in charge to let the kids back. 

I don’t think it’s visiting hours yet- but I say it with enough authority that they don’t question me. 

I sit by Ro’s bed and take her hand, kissing it again. 

“I wanted to talk to you about something.” 

“Oh?” 

“I wanted to last night…. but… baby.” 

She laughs. “Baby.” 

“Yea.” I’m not usually nervous- and this is something that should be so natural… but…

“Ro Ro!” Aki’s voice sounds off as he runs into the room- looking around. 

“Aki!” Ro holds her hand out to him. 

He runs over and takes it, jumping up and down. “Where’s Kendall??” He looks around some more. 

“She’s sleeping in the nursery,” I tell him. 

Laura comes in slightly slower than Aki, but no less excited. 

“Where’s Kendall??” 

“She’s in the nursery.” Aki sounds like he’s pouting. “But Ro Ro’s here!” 

Laura runs to the bed. “Are you okay? There was a big storm. Was that you?” 

Ro nods. “Sorry, darlings. I lost control of my powers for a few moments.” 

“More like a few hours,” Kitty says from the door, coming into the room and bending down over the bed to give Ro a hug. “Healthy baby, healthy mommy, happy daddy.” She says. “Totally worth getting out of bed this morning.” 

Ro chuckles. “Thank you for watching the children.” 

“Of course.” Kitty smiles. 

“Ro Ro!” Aki goes to her unoccupied side and gives her hand a tug. “I got you a present!” 

“A present? For me?” Ro smiles. “Thank you, Aki!” 

Aki nods, smiling wide as he digs in his little bag he’s brought with him. “It’s a secret present.” 

“Oh?” 

he nods. “I found it in daddy’s sock drawer!” 

That… stops me. “Oh?” I chuckle. “Why are you bringing Ro Ro daddy’s socks?” 

“It’s not a sock.” Aki laughs, pulling out a small box. 

Fuck. 

This will be.. .interesting. 

“What a pretty box!” Ro says as he brings it over. 

“It’s got something in it.” Aki smiles. 

“Oh?” Ro looks at me knowingly, a smile on her face. 

Aki nods, finally coming back over to her and handing her the box. 

This is a slightly cuter way to have this discussion than I’d originally planned. It’s best to just let it play out. 

Aki hands her the box and waits. A huge smile plastered on his face. 

“Let me see here.” Ro takes the box and slowly opens it, hand going to her mouth to cover a smile. 

“Do you like it??” Aki asks. 

“I love it.” She slowly takes the jewelry out of the box and slips it on her finger. “I love it.” She repeats. 

“I don’t know why daddy had a ring in his dresser,” Aki says happily. "but it looks too pretty to go on his fingers. His points might take the diamond off!” 

Kitty has her hands over her mouth. “Oh my god.” She gasps. 

“This is the discussion you wanted to have, I take it?” Ro asks with a grin. 

I nod. “Well… I kinda wanted it to be a surprise…. but… ya know. Aki.” 

“What surprise?” Aki looks between us. 

“Aki-“ Ro whispers. “Come here.” 

He leans into her she leans down and whispers something in his ear. 

“What’s an engagement ring??” He says loudly.

“It means they’re getting married!” Laura says, running over to Ro. “IF Ro Ro says yes.” 

“Ro Ro?” Aki leans up again, whispering in her ear. 

“Of course I say yes.” She says. “What else would I say?” 

“This has got to be the cutest proposal I’ve ever seen!” Kitty says. “And trust me- I watch a lot of chick flicks.” 

I can’t help but smile. 

Ro admires her ring, plays with kids, sends out a text from her own phone- it’s a general happy atmosphere. 

It only get’s better when the nurse rolls in the ‘box’ Kendall’s in. 

“Here we go.” She chirps. “Mommy has the lactation specialist seen you yet?” 

Ro shakes her head. “Lemme go get her.” The nurse says. “In the meantime- why don’t you take miss miss right here.” She lifts Kendall from the box and places her in Ro’s arms. 

“The baby!” Aki nearly climbs into Ro’s bed to see. 

“I wanna see too!” Laura pulls him off and takes his spot. “Na uh!” he tries to pull her off but he’s too small. 

“Here- Aki come around this way.” I put him on her other side. 

“She’s got hair like Ro Ro’s!” He says. 

“She’s cute!” Laura says from the other side. 

“Oh my god,” Kitty says. “Look at you.” She coos. “Hey, Kendall.” 

“My little sister is the cutest little sister in the hospital.” Aki decides. “And I’ll hit anyone who says she isn’t.” 

“Don’t hit people Aki.” Ro and I say at the same time. She chuckles, looking at me. “This makes three.” 

“Three’s a good number.” 

“Lucky number.” She nods. 

“Hell if this one works out- we might have another.” I tease. 

Ro laughs. “Not for a while yet…. please.” 

“Eh. We’ll see.” 

“Jean and Rogue want to help plan the wedding,” Kitty says. “I can see it now! We can do it on the back lawn- wouldn’t that be nice? It’ll be a-“ She rambles on. 

All stories have to have an ending. That’s just how it goes. No matter how long the story, or how many chapters- it always ends. 

Luckily, this one- me and Ro and the kids, doesn’t have to end for a while yet. 

My girls and my boy- all nestled together in this place. Sure there will be trials. We’re x-men. It happens. But looking at them- all four of them… I know there’s nothing that could possibly take this away from me. 

And that? For once… feels good enough to believe in. 

Who knows what’s down the road? What bad guys, or wars, or invasions. That’s our life. 

But we can handle it. 

And for now? That’s good enough for me.


End file.
